title: Verbal cognition and attention deficits do not explain the verbal memory decline associated with pharmacoresistant partial epilepsy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore whether change in verbal memory with time in patients with epilepsy is influenced by performance on tasks assessing verbal cognition or attention/processing speed. Thirty-six patients and twenty-five healthy controls were tested twice with median retest intervals of 4.8 and 3.1 years, respectively. Aspects of verbal memory, verbal cognition, and attention/processing speed were assessed. Decline in one verbal memory variable (Cronholm-Molander Memory Test Paired Associates -- Delayed Recall) was the strongest correlate of epilepsy. The second strongest correlate was a decrease in one attention/processing speed variable (Digit Symbol). The relationship between decline in verbal memory and epilepsy was not influenced by the decline in attention/processing speed, and the results did not support the notion that limited mental reserves as reflected in impaired verbal cognition or attention/processing speed can explain the relationship between verbal memory and epilepsy.
authors: Epilepsy Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden. lenaar@privat.utfors.se
authors: Lena
authors: L
authors: Andersson-Roswall
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Engman
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Malmgren
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Samuelsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000209:etiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*