Epilepsy Research 64 (2005) 137–150 Benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms: Neuropsychological findings Eva German ` o, Antonella Gagliano ∗ , Angela Magaz ` u, Caterina Sferro, Tiziana Calarese, Erminia Mannarino, Filippo Calamoneri Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Messina, Gazzi-Messina, Italy Received 30 April 2004; received in revised form 20 March 2005; accepted 20 March 2005 Available online 6 June 2005 Abstract Benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms is classified among childhood benign partial epilepsies. The absence of neurological and neuropsychological deficits has long been considered as a prerequisite for a diagnosis of benign childhood partial epilepsy. Much evidence has been reported in literature in the latest years suggesting a neuropsychological impairment in this type of epilepsy, particularly in the type with Rolandic paroxysms. The present work examines the neuropsychological profiles of a sample of subjects affected by the early-onset benign childhood occipital seizures (EBOS) described by Panayotopulos. The patient group included 22 children (14 males and 8 females; mean age 10.1 ± 3.3 years) diagnosed as having EBOS. The patients were examined with a set of tests investigating neuropsychological functions: memory, attention, perceptive, motor, linguistic and academic (reading, writing, arithmetic) abilities. The same instruments have been given to a homogeneous control group as regards sex, age, level of education and socio-economic background. None of the subjects affected by EBOS showed intellectual deficit (mean IQ in Wechsler Full Scale 91.7; S.D. 8.9). Results show a widespread cognitive dysfunction in the context of a focalepileptogenic process in EBOS. In particular, children with EBOS show a significant occurrence of specific learning disabilities (SLD) and other subtle neuropsychological deficits. We found selective dysfunctions relating to perceptive-visual attentional ability (p < 0.05), verbal and visual-spatial memory abilities (p < 0.01), visual perception and visual-motor integration global abilities (p < 0.01), manual dexterity tasks (p < 0.05), some language tasks (p < 0.05), reading and writing abilities (p < 0.01) and arithmetic ability (p < 0.01). The presence of cognitive dysfunctions in subjects with EBOS supports the hypothesis that epilepsy itself plays a role in the development of neuropsychological impairment. Supported by other studies that have documented subtle neuropsychological Abbreviations: CEOP,childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms; BFEC, benign focal epilepsy of childhood; BECT, benign focal epilepsy of childhood with centro-temporal spikes; EBOS, early-onset benign childhood occipital seizures; EEG, electroencephalogram; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; VIQ, verbal intelligence quotient; PIQ, performance intelligence quotient; FSIQ, full scale intelligence quotient; TOMAL, test of memory and learning; TVP, developmental test of visual perception; ABC, movement assessment battery for children; AEDs, antiepileptic drugs ∗ Corresponding author. Present address: Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Universitario, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Gazzi-Messina, Italy. Tel.: +39 090 2212234; fax: +39 090 2930414. E-mail address: antonella.gagliano@unime.it (A. Gagliano). 0920-1211/$ – see front matter © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2005.03.004