Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder diagnosed in children that can be associated with impairments in sustained attention. Attentional deficits are linked to neural dysfunction within or between the default mode network and central executive network. Limited research has examined abnormalities in these networks in children with epilepsy. Using resting-state fMRI we found reduced connectivity within and between both networks in patients (n=18) compared to controls (n=16). The neural alterations found in patients could be potential predictors of attentional deficits, and subsequently aid in identifying children requiring intervention, however further studies are warranted to confirm this.
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