INTERNALIZING SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN AFFECTED BY CHILDHOOD ABSENCE EPILEPSY: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

FRANCESCO PRECENZANO*, PAOLA LOMBARDI*, MARIA RUBERTO**, LUCIA PARISI***, MARGHERITA SALERNO****, AGATA MALTESE***, ILARIA D’ALESSANDRO*, IMMACOLATA DELLA VALLE*, ROSARIA MARTINA MAGLIULO*, GIOVANNI MESSINA*****, MICHELE ROCCELLA***

*Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry; Headache Center for children and adolescents, Department of Mental Health and Physical and Preventive Medicine, Second University of Naples - **Department of Medical-Surgical and Dental Specialties, Second University of Naples - ***Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy - ***Sciences for Mother and Child Health Promotion, University of Palermo, Italy - ****Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology and Unit of Dietetics and Sports Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy #Francesco Precenzano, Paola Lombardi and Maria Ruberto equally contributed to the manuscript

Introduction: Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a common type of pediatric idiopathic generalized epilepsy, characterized by multiple seizures of typical absence, with typical EEG pattern consisting in bilateral synchronous and symmetrical discharges of generalized 3 Hz spike-wave (SWDs).
Recently, some researchers have suggested that the underlying epileptogenic mechanism of absence seizures selectively involves the frontal cortical circuits, also supported by video-electroencephalography data(3). These data may be considered as a new window in CAE comprehension and management, particularly about symptoms different from seizure that children affected may present. In this light, aim of the present study is evaluating the presence of internalizing problems in prepubertal children affected by CAE.

Material and methods: 18 patients (10 females, 8 males) ranging age from 8-11 years (mean age 9.36 ± 1.32) affected by typical CAE were recruited. Control group was composed by 43 subjects (32 females, 11 males) (mean age 8.54 ± 2.01). All subjects were screened for internalizing symptoms with SAFA-A scale and CDI test.

Results: The two groups were comparable for age (p=0.117) and sex distribution (p=0.251). CAE children showed significantly higher score than controls for anxiety (p<0.001) and depressive symptoms screening tests (p<0.001) (Table 1).

Conclusions: Results of present study suggest the importance of screening for anxiety and depressive