Verbal memory in children with temporal lobe epilepsy: Exploring task-specificity.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE This study explored the applicability of the adult model of task-specificity of memory to children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHOD: Retrospective clinical audit; 38 children and adolescents (6-16 years) with lesional TLE (n = 22 mesial; n = 16 lateral) treated at tertiary pediatric hospitals completed two types of verbal memory paradigms arbitrary associative (Verbal Paired Associates - Hard Pairs) and semantically related (Verbal Paired Associates - Easy Pairs; Stories). RESULTS: Children with mesial TLE performed more poorly than their lateral TLE counterparts on both types of memory paradigms arbitrary associative and semantically related (Stories only). Groups with left and right TLE performed comparably on all verbal memory measures. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the adult model of task-specificity may not be completely applicable to children with TLE. Consideration of the developmental context is critical in research and clinical work with pediatric populations.