Attention and psychomotor speed decline in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy: a longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the possible cognitive alterations in epilepsy patients compared with controls over 5 years, and to investigate the clinical variables mainly implied in mental impairment.


METHODS
In our longitudinal single-center study, 50 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 50 controls were administered the same battery of comprehensive neuropsychological tests at baseline and after 5 years.


RESULTS
TLE patients showed a significant impairment in attention and psychomotor speed compared with controls after 5 years, while the other cognitive domains did not exhibit any important changes. This worsening was mainly related to the duration of epilepsy, the age at onset, a history of tonic-clonic seizures and a low educational level.


CONCLUSIONS
We believe that tapping the attention and psychomotor speed decline in TLE patients should be considered relevant for future research, in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the cognitive dimensions of this field.
Piazzini
Ada
A
Epilepsy Center, St. Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Via A. Di Rudini 8, 20142 Milan, Italy. ada.piazzini@ao-sanpaolo.it
Turner
Katherine
K
Chifari
Rosanna
R
Morabito
Alberto
A
Canger
Raffaele
R
Canevini
Maria Paola
MP
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis