ACQUIRED EPILEPTIC APHASIA - NEUROPSYCHOLOGIC FOLLOW-UP OF 12 PATIENTS

A study of specific neuropsychologic, neurolinguistic, and behavioral features of acquired epileptic aphasia or Landau-Kleffner syndrome was conducted in a group of 12 patients followed-up for 2-15 gears (mean: 8 yr). Seventy-five percent had exhibited some language disturbance p rior to acquired epileptic aphasia. Even when 9 patients had normal el ectroencephalographic findings in the long-term course of the disease, only 3 achieved normal language. No patient with persisting electroen cephalographic abnormalities recovered normal or near normal language. The need to perform detailed neurolinguistic and neuropsychologic eva luations in the work-up and follow-up of children with acquired epilep tic aphasia is stressed. An adapted neuropsychologic profile battery p roved to be practical and objective for the follow-up of these patient s.