Document Type

Editorial

Publication Date

12-1-2014

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It is the authors' final version prior to publication in Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B

December 2014, Volume 41, pages: 274-5

The published version is available at DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.08.144. Copyright © Elsevier Inc.

Abstract

Over the long term, epilepsy is clearly associated with cognitive impairment. This has been demonstrated functionally, using neuropsychological testing, and reinforced by structural studies showing progressive atrophy in patients with chronic epilepsy 1-3. The prevailing explanation for this, of course, has been the direct and cumulative effects of seizures on the brain. The basic science literature is chock full of studies showing impairment of neuronal function after seizures, both acutely and chronically. And for those of us who see patients, the progressive memory complaints and clear-cut decline in function seen in those with drug-resistant epilepsy — particularly temporal lobe epilepsy — appear to sufficiently attest to the fact that the seizures are the culprit.

PubMed ID

25306197

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