Perioperative Brain Injury in Relation to Early Neurodevelopment Among Children with Severe Congenital Heart Disease: Results from a European Collaboration.

Objective: To examine the relationship between perioperative brain injury and neurodevelopment during early childhood in patients with severe congenital heart disease (CHD).

Study Design: One hundred and seventy children with CHD and born at term who required cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in the first 6 weeks after birth were recruited from 3 European centers and underwent preoperative and postoperative brain MRIs. Uniform description of imaging findings was performed and an overall brain injury score was created, based on the sum of the worst preoperative or postoperative brain injury subscores.

Clinical Outcome, Cognition, and Cerebrovascular Reactivity after Surgical Treatment for Moyamoya Vasculopathy: A Dutch Prospective, Single-Center Cohort Study.

Background: It remains unclear whether revascularization of moyamoya vasculopathy (MMV) has a positive effect on cognitive function. In this prospective, single-center study, we investigated the effect of revascularization on cognitive function in patients with MMV. We report clinical and radiological outcome parameters and the associations between clinical determinants and change in neurocognitive functioning.

The profile of cognitive impairment and hemodynamic compromise in moyamoya: a single-center prospective cohort study.

Objective: Patients with moyamoya vasculopathy often experience cognitive impairments. In this prospective single-center study, the authors investigated the profile of neurocognitive impairment and its relation with the severity of ischemic brain lesions and hemodynamic compromise.

Methods: Patients treated in a Dutch tertiary referral center were prospectively included.

Bimanual performance in children with unilateral perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke or periventricular haemorrhagic infarction.

Background: Long term outcome data on bimanual performance in children with perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke (PAIS) and periventricular haemorrhagic infarction (PVHI) with and without unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) is sparse.

Aims: To assess bimanual performance in children with PAIS or PVHI with and without USCP and to explore the relationship with unilateral hand function and full-scale IQ (FSIQ) in a cross-sectional study.

Methods: Fifty-two children with PAIS (n = 27) or PVHI (n = 25) participated at a median age of 12 years and 1 month (range 6-20 years).

Is autism driven by epilepsy in infants with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex?

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between age at seizure onset and neurodevelopmental outcome at age 24 months in infants with TSC, as well as the effect on neurodevelopmental outcome of early versus conventional treatment of epileptic seizures with vigabatrin (80-150 mg/kg/day).

Methods: Infants with TSC, aged ≤4 months and without previous seizures were enrolled in a prospective study and closely followed with monthly video EEG and serial standardized neurodevelopmental testing (Bayley Scales of Infant Development and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule).

Results: Eighty infants were enrolled.

Cognitive Functions in Children and Adults with Moyamoya Vasculopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Purpose: Patients with moyamoya vasculopathy (MMV) may experience cognitive impairment, but its reported frequency, severity, and nature vary. In a systematic review and metaanalysis, we aimed to assess the presence, severity, and nature of cognitive impairments in children and adults with MMV.

Methods: We followed the MOOSE guidelines for meta-analysis and systematic reviews of observational studies.

The spectrum of long-term cognitive and functional outcome after hemispherectomy in childhood.

Purpose: To evaluate cognition, behavior, daily functioning and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) five years to more than a decade after hemispherectomy (HE) in childhood.

Methods: This countrywide Dutch cohort study of 31 patients, who underwent HE between 1994 and 2009, included a semi-structured interview with parents, an assessment of cognition, and screening of behavioral problems and HrQoL.

Results: Twenty-two school-age children and young adults [median age 13.

Cognitive consequences of early versus late antiepileptic drug withdrawal after pediatric epilepsy surgery, the TimeToStop (TTS) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The goals of intentional curative pediatric epilepsy surgery are to achieve seizure-freedom and antiepileptic drug (AED) freedom. Retrospective cohort studies have indicated that early postoperative AED withdrawal unmasks incomplete surgical success and AED dependency sooner, but not at the cost of long-term seizure outcome. Moreover, AED withdrawal seemed to improve cognitive outcome.

Intelligence quotient improves after antiepileptic drug withdrawal following pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Objective: Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have cognitive side effects that, particularly in children, may affect intellectual functioning. With the TimeToStop (TTS) study, we showed that timing of AED withdrawal does not majorly influence long-term seizure outcomes. We now aimed to evaluate the effect of AED withdrawal on postoperative intelligence quotient (IQ), and change in IQ (delta IQ) following pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Parental education predicts change in intelligence quotient after childhood epilepsy surgery.

Objective: To know whether change in the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children who undergo epilepsy surgery is associated with the educational level of their parents.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of data obtained from a cohort of children who underwent epilepsy surgery between January 1996 and September 2010. We performed simple and multiple regression analyses to identify predictors associated with IQ change after surgery.

Visual function and compensatory mechanisms for hemianopia after hemispherectomy in children.

Objective: Little is known about the functional visual outcome of children after hemispherectomy. Several case reports have described an anomalous head posture (AHP) and exotropia (XT) contralateral to the side of early brain damage, as possible compensatory mechanisms (CMs) for homonymous hemianopia (HH). The aim of this study was to determine visual outcome and the prevalence of such CMs in hemispherectomized children.

Withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs improves psychomotor speed after childhood epilepsy surgery.

This retrospective study evaluates the impact of postoperative antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal on psychomotor speed in seizure-free children, operated for medically refractory epilepsy. Post-surgical medication policy and neuropsychological assessments (performed shortly before and 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery), were evaluated in 57 children (32 female, median age at surgery 13 years). Patients were divided into a withdrawal (n=29) and a no-withdrawal group (n=28).

Cognitive outcome in childhood after unilateral perinatal brain injury.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess cognitive outcome in children with periventricular haemorrhagic infarction (PVHI) or perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke (PAIS) and relate these findings to early developmental outcome and neonatal magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Method: A neuropsychological assessment was performed in 50 children (26 males, 24 females) with unilateral PVHI (n=21) or PAIS (n=29) at a median age of 11 years 9 months (range 6-20y). This included tests for intelligence, verbal memory, visual-motor integration, word comprehension, attention, reaction times, and executive function.

'With the benefit of hindsight': would you opt again for epilepsy surgery performed in childhood?

Background: How adolescents and their caregivers look back on epilepsy surgery performed in early life, and whether epilepsy-related restrictions are still in force years after the operation, are insufficiently known.

Aims: To obtain retrospective evaluations of the decision for epilepsy surgery at an early age, and to inventory current epilepsy-related restrictions.

Methods: Of 177 children who underwent epilepsy surgery between 1992 and 2009, 129 could be approached.

Cognitive outcome after epilepsy surgery in children.

The ultimate goal of epilepsy surgery in young children is to stop seizures, interrupt the downhill course of the epileptic encephalopathy, and improve developmental capacities. Postoperative outcome after childhood epilepsy surgery should therefore not only be expressed in terms of seizure freedom, cognitive outcome is an equally important outcome measure. Insight in the mutually dependent variables that can determine pre and postoperative cognitive developmental abilities will improve prediction of outcome and presurgical counseling of parents.

Hemispherectomy: a basis for mental development in children with epilepsy.

To detect change in mental development or intelligence over two years following hemispherectomy in children with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy. Seventeen infants and preschoolers (median age at epilepsy onset of 0.0 years and at hemispherectomy 1.

Language development before and after temporal surgery in children with intractable epilepsy.

Purpose: To obtain systematic knowledge of language development before and after epilepsy surgery in regions that, if damaged, are known to entail language impairment in adults.

Methods: Twenty-four children (mean age 11 years; range 5.8-15.