Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes and the multicomponent model of attention: a matched control study.

Although the high risk of cognitive impairments in benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) is now well established, there is no clear definition of a uniform neurocognitive profile. This study was based on a neuropsychological model of attention that assessed various components of attention in 21 children with BCECTS and 21 healthy children. All participants were tested with a computerized test battery using the multicomponent model of attention performance. In comparison with healthy participants, the children with BCECTS showed significant impairment in the measure of selectivity and in one measure of intensity of attention (arousal). Our results did not correlate with the electroclinical variables of age at onset of seizures and spike index on sleep EEGs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which the multicomponent model of attentional function has been used in children with BCECTS to provide a clearer neuropsychological profile of these patients.