Cerebral Palsy And Epilepsy: Clinical, Electrographical, Radiological and Prognostic Features

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is usually associated with epilepsy. Early onset of seizures in patients with CP may increase motor disability or cognitive dysfunction which occurs secondary to CP. We compared clinical seizure types, etiology, neurological, neuropsychological, interictal EEG and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and response to medical therapy in 41 children with CP and epilepsy and 56 control cases with epilepsy. Cognitive dysfunction and motor retardation was more prominent in patients CP than the controls. Age onset of epilepsy in children with CP was earlier than the controls. Infantile spasms was significantly more common in patients with CP compared to control patients (p<0.002). Neither EEG nor MRI findings were significantly different in the groups. CP was not a risk factor for medical intractability (00:1.40, GA:0.82-2.39). CP is related to severe neurodevelopmental and cognitive dysfunetion and early onset of epilepsy, especially infantile spasms; however the presence of CP is not associated with poor epilepsy outcome.