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Posar A, Visconti P. Continuous Spike-Waves during Slow Sleep Today: An Update. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:169. [PMID: 38397281 PMCID: PMC10887038 DOI: 10.3390/children11020169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
In the context of childhood epilepsy, the concept of continuous spike-waves during slow sleep (CSWS) includes several childhood-onset heterogeneous conditions that share electroencephalograms (EEGs) characterized by a high frequency of paroxysmal abnormalities during sleep, which have negative effects on the cognitive development and behavior of the child. These negative effects may have the characteristics of a clear regression or of a slowdown in development. Seizures are very often present, but not constantly. The above makes it clear why CSWS have been included in epileptic encephalopathies, in which, by definition, frequent EEG paroxysmal abnormalities have an unfavorable impact on cognitive functions, including socio-communicative skills, causing autistic features, even regardless of the presence of clinically overt seizures. Although several decades have passed since the original descriptions of the electroclinical condition of CSWS, there are still many areas that are little-known and deserve to be further studied, including the EEG diagnostic criteria, the most effective electrophysiological parameter for monitoring the role of the thalamus in CSWS pathogenesis, its long-term evolution, the nosographic location of Landau-Kleffner syndrome, standardized neuropsychological and behavioral assessments, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annio Posar
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Disturbi dello Spettro Autistico, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Bologna University, 40139 Bologna, Italy
| | - Paola Visconti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Disturbi dello Spettro Autistico, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
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Savaş M, Tunçer AM, Çelik İ, Yaşgüçlükal MA, Demirbilek AV, Çokar AÖ. Does Electrical Status Epilepticus in Sleep Adversely Affect Language in Self-Limiting Focal Epilepsies of Childhood? Noro Psikiyatr Ars 2023; 60:62-67. [PMID: 36911556 PMCID: PMC9999228 DOI: 10.29399/npa.28086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The electrical status epilepticus in sleep (ESES) accompanies a wide spectrum of focal and generalized epilepsies, which manifest with cognitive-linguistic regression. Both ESES and language impairment can be seen in self-limited focal epileptic syndromes of childhood (SFEC). The association between the presence of ESES pattern on the EEG and the severity of the language impairment has not been adequately clarified. Methods Twenty-eight SFEC cases without intellectual and motor disabilities and 32 healthy children were recruited. Cases with active ESES (A-ESES, n=6) and without ESES pattern on EEG (non-ESES, n=22) were compared in terms of clinical features and linguistic parameters by both standard and descriptive assessment tools. Results The only significantly different clinical feature in the A-ESES group was the increased prevalence of polytherapy. While most of the linguistic parameters were impaired in A-ESES and non-ESES groups compared to healthy controls, A-ESES patients differed from non-ESES patients only in terms of decreased complex sentence production, which was assessed by narrative analysis. A-ESES patients also showed trends toward producing lower numbers of words, nouns, verbs, and adverbs during narrative analysis. There were no differences among patients under polytherapy and monotherapy in terms of these language parameters. Conclusion Our results show that ESES increases the negative effect of chronic epilepsy on complex sentence and word production. Linguistic distortions that are not reflected in objective tests can be detected by narrative tools. Complex syntactic production obtained by narrative analysis is an important parameter that extensively characterizes language skills in school-age children with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Savaş
- İstanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Aylin Müge Tunçer
- Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Muğla, Turkey
| | - İlayda Çelik
- İstanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Ahmet Veysi Demirbilek
- İstanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Özlem Çokar
- Health Sciences University, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurology, Istanbul, Turkey
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Besag FMC, Vasey MJ. Social cognition and psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. Epilepsy Behav 2019; 100:106210. [PMID: 31196824 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is a substantial body of research on social cognition in adults with epilepsy, and in broad categories such as focal and generalized epilepsies, but much less has been written about social cognition in children with epilepsy (CWE), and in childhood-onset epilepsy syndromes specifically. In several of these syndromes, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), two disorders with social cognitive impairments, are reported. There is strong evidence for social cognitive deficits in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). There is also a considerable amount of evidence for such deficits in a number of syndromes that may be associated with ASD or ADHD, including West syndrome (WS), Dravet syndrome (DS), and the Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS). However, the evidence is of variable quality and incomplete across the range of childhood epilepsy syndromes. In some syndromes, childhood epilepsy substantially increases the risk of severe social cognitive impairment, which may persist after the seizures remit. This paper presents an overview of current research on social cognition in childhood epilepsy, with a particular focus on syndromes with a high prevalence of autistic and behavioral comorbidities. Social cognitive impairments represent a considerable additional challenge for patients and caregivers. Early diagnosis and intervention might significantly improve long-term social cognitive outcomes, highlighting the need for greater awareness among clinicians of this important topic. This article is part of the Special Issue "Epilepsy and social cognition across the lifespan".
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank M C Besag
- East London Foundation NHS Trust, 5-7 Rush Court, Bedford MK40 3JT, UK; University College, London, UK; King's College, London, UK.
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Alves RM, Uva P, Veiga MF, Oppo M, Zschaber FCR, Porcu G, Porto HP, Persico I, Onano S, Cuccuru G, Atzeni R, Vieira LCN, Pires MVA, Cucca F, Toralles MBP, Angius A, Crisponi L. Novel ANKRD11 gene mutation in an individual with a mild phenotype of KBG syndrome associated to a GEFS+ phenotypic spectrum: a case report. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2019; 20:16. [PMID: 30642272 PMCID: PMC6332862 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-019-0745-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background KBG syndrome is a very rare autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by macrodontia, distinctive craniofacial findings, skeletal findings, post-natal short stature, and developmental delays, sometimes associated with seizures and EEG abnormalities. So far, there have been over 100 cases of KBG syndrome reported. Case presentation Here, we describe two sisters of a non-consanguineous family, both presenting generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures (GEFS+), and one with a more complex phenotype associated with mild intellectual disability, skeletal and dental anomalies. Whole exome sequencing (WES) analysis in all the family members revealed a heterozygous SCN9A mutation, p.(Lys655Arg), shared among the father and the two probands, and a novel de novo loss of function mutation in the ANKRD11 gene, p.(Tyr1715*), in the proband with the more complex phenotype. The reassessment of the phenotypic features confirmed that the patient fulfilled the proposed diagnostic criteria for KBG syndrome, although complicated by early-onset isolated febrile seizures. EEG abnormalities with or without seizures have been reported previously in some KBG cases. The shared variant, occurring in SCN9A, has been previously found in several individuals with GEFS+ and Dravet syndrome. Conclusions This report describe a novel de novo variant in ANKRD11 causing a mild phenotype of KGB syndrome and further supports the association of monogenic pattern of SCN9A mutations with GEFS+. Our data expand the allelic spectrum of ANKRD11 mutations, providing the first Brazilian case of KBG syndrome. Furthermore, this study offers an example of how WES has been instrumental allowing us to better dissect the clinical phenotype under study, which is a multilocus variation aggregating in one proband, rather than a phenotypic expansion associated with a single genomic locus, underscoring the role of multiple rare variants at different loci in the etiology of clinical phenotypes making problematic the diagnostic path. The successful identification of the causal variant in a gene may not be sufficient, making it necessary to identify other variants that fully explain the clinical picture. The prevalence of blended phenotypes from multiple monogenic disorders is currently unknown and will require a systematic re-analysis of large WES datasets for proper diagnosis in daily practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Maria Alves
- Postgraduate Program in Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems - Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.,Research group Epi-Genétic, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Paolo Uva
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4), Science and Technology Park Polaris, Pula, Italy
| | - Marielza F Veiga
- Postgraduate Program in Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems - Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.,EEG Service and Clinical Outpatient of Epilepsy, University Hospital Complex Professor Edgard Santos (C-HUPES), Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Manuela Oppo
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Ivana Persico
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Stefano Onano
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gianmauro Cuccuru
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4), Science and Technology Park Polaris, Pula, Italy
| | - Rossano Atzeni
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4), Science and Technology Park Polaris, Pula, Italy
| | - Lauro C N Vieira
- Clinic Ponto Alto diagnostic by Image, São Marcos, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Marcos V A Pires
- Research group Epi-Genétic, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.,Faculty of Medicine of the ABC, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francesco Cucca
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Betânia P Toralles
- Postgraduate Program in Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems - Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Andrea Angius
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. .,Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Laura Crisponi
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria di Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
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Fernández-Marmiesse A, Gouveia S, Couce ML. NGS Technologies as a Turning Point in Rare Disease Research , Diagnosis and Treatment. Curr Med Chem 2018; 25:404-432. [PMID: 28721829 PMCID: PMC5815091 DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170718101946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 25-50 million Americans, 30 million Europeans, and 8% of the Australian population have a rare disease. Rare diseases are thus a common problem for clinicians and account for enormous healthcare costs worldwide due to the difficulty of establishing a specific diagnosis. In this article, we review the milestones achieved in our understanding of rare diseases since the emergence of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and analyze how these advances have influenced research and diagnosis. The first half of this review describes how NGS has changed diagnostic workflows and provided an unprecedented, simple way of discovering novel disease-associated genes. We focus particularly on metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders. NGS has enabled cheap and rapid genetic diagnosis, highlighted the relevance of mosaic and de novo mutations, brought to light the wide phenotypic spectrum of most genes, detected digenic inheritance or the presence of more than one rare disease in the same patient, and paved the way for promising new therapies. In the second part of the review, we look at the limitations and challenges of NGS, including determination of variant causality, the loss of variants in coding and non-coding regions, and the detection of somatic mosaicism variants and epigenetic mutations, and discuss how these can be overcome in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fernández-Marmiesse
- Unit of Diagnosis and Treatment of Congenital Metabolic Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Sofía Gouveia
- Unit of Diagnosis and Treatment of Congenital Metabolic Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María L. Couce
- Unit of Diagnosis and Treatment of Congenital Metabolic Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Lee YJ, Hwang SK, Kwon S. The Clinical Spectrum of Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes: a Challenge in Categorization and Predictability. J Epilepsy Res 2017; 7:1-6. [PMID: 28775948 PMCID: PMC5540684 DOI: 10.14581/jer.17001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS) is the most common type of focal epilepsy in children; it is age-dependent and presumably genetic. Traditionally, children with BECTS have a very good prognosis, even without medical treatment, and are thought to show no neurological symptoms or cognitive deficits. However, many previous studies have shown that BECTS can present with various clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics that are commonly associated with neuropsychological deficits, including linguistic, cognitive, and behavioral impairment. The degree of the neuropsychological deficits appears to depend on the sleep cycle and the localization of epileptiform discharges. Furthermore, based on neurobiological studies, a complex interplay between the processes of brain maturation and the involvement of genes that confer susceptibility may contribute to a variety of different childhood epileptic syndromes with various neuropsychological deficits. Thus, BECTS, atypical benign focal epilepsy during childhood, status epilepticus of BECTS, Landau-Kleffner syndrome, and epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-wave during sleep are all considered different entities, but are part of a single spectrum of disorders. In clinical practice, we have to consider BECTS as benign only when there are no or only mild neuropsychological deficits before medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Jeong Lee
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Su Kyeong Hwang
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Soonhak Kwon
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
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