Age at epilepsy onset in patients with focal cortical dysplasias, gangliogliomas and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumours

•Age at epilepsy onset was investigated in patients with FCDs and neuroglial tumours.•The spectrum of age at epilepsy onset is very broad in both patient groups.•FCDs cause epilepsy earlier than neuroglial tumours.•Positive family history for epileptic seizures is more frequent in FCD-patients. The age at epilepsy onset in patients with inborn or very early acquired brain lesions depends on the epileptogenic potential of the lesion and the patients’ individual “susceptibility” to epileptic seizures. To gain insight into these determinants, we analysed the case history of patients with focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) and neuroglial tumours. In a systematic, retrospective analysis comprised of 233 patients who underwent surgery (116 with FCDs and 117 with neuroglial tumours), we evaluated the age at epilepsy onset according to histopathologic subgroups, lesion location and family history. Epilepsy onset was significantly earlier in patients with FCD than for those with neuroglial tumours (FCDs: 8.06 ± 0.74 years, gangliogliomas: 15.86 ± 1.24 years, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumours (DNTs): 19.18 ± 2.47 years; p