Epilepsy, Intelligence, and Psychiatric Disorders in Patients With Cerebellar Hypoplasia

Abstract

The cerebellum is involved in motor and cognitive functions and behavior. Its role in controlling epileptic seizures has been demonstrated in the literature. Genetic factors can enhance epilepsy susceptibility when the cerebellum is damaged. We examined the occurrence and features of epilepsy, intelligence, and psychiatric disorders in 28 patients with cerebellar hypoplasia. We compared patients with (10; 35.7%) and without (18; 64.3%) epilepsy. The statistical evaluation showed a significant prevalence of familial antecedents for seizures in patients with epilepsy (P < .01); cerebral associated lesions and type of cerebellar hypoplasia did not influence the occurrence of epilepsy, which was partial in 80% of cases. Profound mental retardation prevailed in patients with epilepsy (P < .05). Both mental retardation (75%) and pervasive developmental disorders (17.8%) prevailed in our cases with respect to the general population (P < .000). Cerebellar hypoplasia in our sample seems to be an important risk factor for the occurrence of epilepsy, mental retardation, and psychiatric disorders.

Retardo mental

“…Parmeggiani et al 36 studied 28 patients with cerebellar hypoplasia and, after finding out that 75% of them had MR, they concluded that cerebellar hypoplasia is an important risk factor for MR. Nordin & Gillberg 37 studied 177 individuals with MR or motor deficiency and observed that the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in 101 children with MR was of 19.8%. The authors highlighted that many children with severe MR have autistic spectrum disorders, but not the majority of them.…”

Epileptic seizures in patients with a posterior circulation infarct

“…Sonuç olarak serebellum disfonksiyonu ile epileptik nöbetler arasındaki patofizyolojik mekanizmalar net olarak anlaşılamamış olsa da başlıca hayvan modellerinde yapılan çalışmalar, serebellumun epileptik nöbet aktivitesi üzerinde inhibitör etkisi olduğunu göstermektedir (20,21). Ayrıca hem hayvan hem insanda yapılan çalışmalar, serebellumun stimülasyonunun nöbet aktivitesini düzelttiğini veya nöbet süresini kısalttığını göstermektedir.…”

Cerebellar Hypoplasia, Continuous Spike-waves During Sleep, and Neuropsychological and Behavioral Disorders

“…Cerebellar congenital abnormalities represent a risk factor for epileptic seizure occurrence and/or cognitive and behavior disorders [13][14][15][16][17] ; mental retardation and autism are more frequent in cases with cerebellar hypoplasia. 18 In our patients with familial antecedents for epilepsy, seizures-focal in the first two, apparently generalized in the third-were not frequent and eventually disappeared.…”