Epilepsy and epileptiform EEG: Association with autism and language disorders

The relationship between epilepsy, language, behavior, and cognition is not well understood. Developmental and acquired disabilities such as autistic spectrum disorders, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, electrical status epilepticus in sleep. and developmental dysphasias have been associated with epileptif orm abnormalities. These disorders share many common features and raise imp ortant questions regarding this intricate relationship. This article review s these disorders and discusses the proposed interaction between epileptifo rm abnormalities and cognitive dysfunciton. Diagnostic and treatment issues will also be reviewed. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss. Inc.