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Adaptive and maladaptive behaviour in children with epileptic encephalopathies: correlation with cerebral glucose metabolism
Author(s) -
Ferrie CD,
Madigan C.,
Tilling K.,
Maisey M.N,
Marsden P K.,
Robinson R O.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1997.tb07494.x
Subject(s) - abnormality , psychology , vineland adaptive behavior scale , dementia , audiology , fluorodeoxyglucose , correlation , adaptive functioning , weakness , neuroimaging , adaptive behavior , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , neuroscience , positron emission tomography , psychiatry , medicine , disease , surgery , geometry , mathematics
In the childhood epileptic encephalopathies mental impairment is common and severe. Traditional cognitive assessment is difficult because of the low level of performance, autistic features, and the unpredictable effect of seizures. An alternative is to measure adaptive and maladaptive behaviour using instruments administered to the caregivers. Adults with different types of dementia have characteristic patterns of cortical glucose hypometabolism. Thirty‐two children were studied using visual and semiquantitative analysis of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (PET) scans. The Vineland Scales and the Conners' Questionnaires were used to assess adaptive and maladaptive behaviour. The mean adaptive behaviour composite score was 37.3±15.6; all but one subject had a low adaptive level. A profile of relative strength in socialisation and weakness in daily living skills emerged. Up to two‐thirds of children had abnormal behaviour patterns, particularly attention‐deficit disorders and hyperactivity. Adaptive and maladaptive behaviour was not related to the presence or absence of focal cortical PET abnormalities. However, adaptive behaviour scores showed an inverse correlation with the degree of metabolic abnormality in the frontal lobes.