Lexical retrieval pre- and posttemporal lobe epilepsy surgery in a pediatric sample.
PURPOSE
This study aimed to evaluate lexical retrieval, presurgery and postsurgery, among children and adolescents who had undergone temporal lobe resection for intractable epilepsy and to compare outcomes in patients whose surgery involved the left temporal lobe or the right temporal lobe.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
A retrospective chart review identified 36 patients from a major pediatric epilepsy treatment center who had undergone temporal lobe resection (21 underwent left temporal lobe resection; 15 underwent right temporal lobe resection) for intractable epilepsy and who had completed neuropsychological testing that included a measure of confrontation naming (Boston Naming Test, BNT) and verbal fluency (Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Fluency) prior to and after surgery. Linear mixed effects regression models were used to evaluate presurgery and postsurgery changes and to compare the left temporal lobe resection group with the right temporal lobe resection group.


PRINCIPAL RESULTS
Confrontation naming performance declined after left, but not right, temporal lobe resection (p<0.05). This effect was not documented for verbal fluency.


MAJOR CONCLUSIONS
Left temporal lobe resection for intractable epilepsy is associated with a decline in lexical retrieval. The risk of decline in specific language functions following surgery involving the left temporal lobe should be incorporated in the counseling of patients and families in decision-making with regard to surgery.
['Vega|Clemente|C|', 'Brenner|Laurie A|LA|', 'Madsen|Joseph|J|', 'Bourgeois|Blaise|B|', 'Waber|Deborah P|DP|', 'Boyer|Katrina|K|']
D000293:Adolescent D002648:Child D003072:Cognition Disorders D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe D005260:Female D007839:Functional Laterality D006801:Humans D008297:Male D011183:Postoperative Complications D012189:Retrospective Studies
Epilepsy surgery Pediatric epilepsy Neuropsychological