Impulsivity and control of inhibition in Benign Focal Childhood Epilepsy (BFCE)

Childhood epilepsy represents abnormal brain functioning and may affect cognitive functions that depend on the late development of the frontal lobes. This study addresses the possible consequences of benign epilepsy on frontal functions, specifically action regulation and inhibition in the absence of explicit frontal neurological signs. Thirteen children (8 males; 6-12 years old) with benign epilepsy were matched to 13 controls. They performed tasks designed to measure impulsivity and control of inhibition: CPT, Stop Signal Paradigm, Stroop test, and Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). Children with epilepsy made more errors on the MFFT (p < .02), made more errors in the interference condition on the Stroop test (p < .01), and had a longer response time to the Stop Signal (p < .05) than controls, with no differences on nonexecutive functions measures. Thus, children with benign epilepsy have a deficit on some measures of impulsivity and inhibition, which may reflect poor frontal lobe functioning.