Epilepsy in LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy: An electro-clinico-radiological characterization.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the epileptic phenotype of LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy (MD) and correlate it with the neuroradiological and muscle biopsy findings, as well as the functional motor phenotype. METHODS: Clinical, electrophysiological, neuroradiological, and histopathological data of 25 patients with diagnosis of LAMA2-related MD were analyzed. RESULTS: Epilepsy occurred in 36% of patients with LAMA2-related MD. Mean age at first seizure was 8 years. The most common presenting seizure type was focal-onset seizures with or without impaired awareness. Visual aura and autonomic signs, including vomiting, were frequently reported. Despite a certain degree of variability, bilateral occipital or temporo-occipital epileptiform abnormalities were by far the most commonly observed. Refractory epilepsy was found in 75% of these patients. Epilepsy in LAMA2-related MD was significantly more prevalent in those patients in whom the cortical malformations were more extensive. In contrast, the occurrence of epilepsy was not found to be associated with the patients' motor ability, the size of their white matter abnormalities, or the amount of residual merosin expressed on muscle. SIGNIFICANCE: The epileptic phenotype of LAMA2-related MD is characterized by focal seizures with prominent visual and autonomic features associated with EEG abnormalities that predominate in the posterior quadrants. A consistent correlation between epileptic phenotype and neuroimaging was identified, suggesting that the extension of the polymicrogyria may serve as a predictor of epilepsy occurrence.

[Epilepsy and cognition: the role of antiepileptic drugs]. / Epilepsia y cognición: el papel de los fármacos antiepilépticos.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple factors underlie the cognitive changes associated with epilepsy, including the effect of antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy itself. The use of AEDs in the management of epilepsy requires an ongoing risk-benefit analysis that attempts to maximize seizure control while minimizing adverse cognitive side-effects. AIM: This review focuses on the global and specific cognitive effects of the classic and the new AEDs. DEVELOPMENT: All of the established AEDs can produce cognitive side effects, which are increased with polypharmacy and with increasing dosage and anticonvulsant blood levels. The main disorders are a diminished reaction and information processing time with alterations affecting memory, attention and language. Further, there is much debate concerning the existence and clinical importance of differential AED cognitive side effects and a large portion of the literature examining the comparative cognitive effects of AEDs is limited by inadequate study designs. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive side effects of antiepileptic drugs are common and can negatively affect tolerability, compliance, and long-term retention of the treatment. The role of cognitive side effects should be kept in proper perspective when choosing AED therapy. It is important to be able to recognize early these effects and to put them into perspective as to how they affect our patients.

TITLE: Epilepsia y cognicion: el papel de los farmacos antiepilepticos.Introduccion. Multiples y muy diversos factores se relacionan con la alteracion cognitiva en la epilepsia, incluyendo el efecto adverso directo de los farmacos antiepilepticos (FAE). El uso de los FAE requiere de un riguroso equilibrio entre riesgo y beneficio para conseguir asi el mejor control de las crisis con el menor numero de efectos adversos neurocognitivos. Objetivo. Analizar los efectos adversos cognitivos generales y especificos de los FAE de primera, segunda y tercera generacion. Desarrollo. Todos los FAE disponibles pueden producir efectos adversos cognitivos, que son mas frecuentes en politerapia, con dosis totales altas y niveles sericos elevados. Las alteraciones mas comunes son el descenso de la capacidad de reaccion y de la velocidad de procesamiento con afectacion concomitante de la memoria, la atencion y el lenguaje. Sin embargo, hay gran controversia sobre la existencia o no de perfiles cognitivos especificos para cada uno de los distintos FAE y se dispone de una informacion contradictoria al respecto por la inadecuada metodologia de los estudios comparativos. Conclusiones. Los efectos adversos cognitivos de los FAE son frecuentes y pueden afectar negativamente la tolerabilidad, el cumplimiento y el mantenimiento a largo plazo del tratamiento antiepileptico. Se debe considerar el potencial efecto adverso cognitivo de los distintos FAE a la hora de elegir un tratamiento y es importante reconocer e identificar precozmente estos efectos adversos y saber como pueden afectar a los pacientes.