Improved effect of EEG-biofeedback intervention on cognitive function in childhood idiopathic epilepsy with ADHD: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Although childhood idiopathic epilepsy syndromes are frequently associated with a good prognosis, they also have a high prevalence of comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study aimed to examine whether an intervention using electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback can improve cognitive performance in childhood idiopathic syndromes with ADHD. Methods: In this study, thirty-six childhood idiopathic epilepsy syndrome patients with comorbid ADHD were divided into either the treatment or the control group. All participants’ cognitive functions were assessed by a standardized test battery on processing speed, spatial perception, arithmetic, semantic comprehension, forward/backward verbal working memory, non-verbal matrix reasoning, visual attention and executive function before and after the training. Results: ANOVA analysis showed that the treatment group improved significantly on task performances in forward digit span and backward digit span tasks, but not in other cognitive assessments. The findings indicated that the treatment group receiving the EEG-Biofeedback intervention showed improved verbal working memory. Conclusions: The findings suggested that EEG biofeedback can improve the core cognitive function in childhood idiopathic epilepsy syndromes with ADHD.

Keywords

• Electroencephalogram biofeedback
• Childhood epilepsy
• ADHD
• Cognitive function
• Working memory