Evaluation of Event-Related Potentials in Assessing Cognitive Functions of Adult Patients with Epilepsy of Unknown Etiology

Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is an important consequence of epilepsy. The aim of the study was to assess cognitive performance in patients with epilepsy, using neuropsychological tests (NT) and event-related potentials (ERPs), with regard to demographic and clinical data. Methods: The study comprised 50 patients with epilepsy of unknown etiology and 46 healthy controls. Based on the NT results, the patients were divided into subgroups with/without CI. Parameters of P300 potential were compared between the patients and controls. P300 parameters and NT results were referred to demographics and clinical characteristics of epilepsy. Results: Based on the NT, 66% of patients were assigned as cognitively impaired. Median P300 latency was significantly (p < 0.0002) prolonged in the study group. Subgroups of patients with and without CI significantly (p < 0.034) differed in education level and vocational activity, duration of epilepsy, age at its onset and frequency of polytherapy. P300 parameters showed significant (p < 0.03) relationships with duration of epilepsy, type and frequency of seizures and polytherapy. Conclusions: Cognitive impairment and ERPs abnormalities occur in a majority of patients with epilepsy of unknown etiology. Characteristics of epilepsy and socioeconomic status are related to cognitive performance. ERPs may complement neuropsychological methods in the assessment of cognition in patients with epilepsy.

Predicting the biological activity of selected phytochemicals in Alsophila spinulosa leaves against 4-aminobutyrate-aminotransferase: A potential antiepilepsy agents

“…One of the most common neurological syndromes in the world is epilepsy, which remains in third position among the diseases that affect people with old age (Hirtz et al, 2007;Werhahn 2009;Queeny et al, 2018;Dunkel et al, 2023). Its rate of increase has been observed to be high in infants and aged people (Hesdorffer et al, 2011;Jeżowska-Jurczyk et al, 2023). As stated by Gagliano et al (2018), more than 45 million people have been reported to have epilepsy.…”