Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations of maternal epilepsy and prenatal antiepileptic drug (AED) exposure with neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschool-aged children, with a particular focus on adaptive functioning, emotional and behavioral problems, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This retrospective, case–control study included 53 children aged 2–6 years born to mothers with epilepsy and 53 age- and sex-matched controls whose mothers had no history of epilepsy or other chronic illness. Developmental outcomes and emotional problems were assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–II (VABS-II), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Autism Behavior Checklist. Results: Linear regression analysis showed that prenatal AED exposure was significantly associated with lower total VABS-II scores (R2 = 0.201, p =.040). Within the AED-exposed subgroup, higher standardized AED doses were negatively correlated with total VABS-II scores (r = –.425, p =.021). Hyperactivity/inattention and peer relationship problems were significantly higher in both AED-exposed and non-exposed epilepsy groups compared with controls (p <.05). Three cases of ASD were identified, all in the AED-exposed group. Conclusions: Maternal epilepsy and prenatal AED exposure may be associated with differences in adaptive functioning and behavioral outcomes in preschool-aged children. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the observational design and potential residual confounding.