Long-term memory impairment in patients with focal epilepsy.
In temporal lobe epilepsy, long-term memory disturbance starts early in life mainly affecting declarative memory. Primary impairment of episodic memory often results in reduced semantic and autobiographic memory. Neuropsychological performance predicts academic achievement and everyday life functioning while subjective memory complaints are highly correlated with depression. Memory impairment is also influenced by initial brain damage, developmental retardation and dynamic factors (e.g., seizure frequency, medication). Damage of functional tissue, low mental reserve capacity, and poor seizure outcome increase the risk for postsurgical memory impairment whereas functional release due to seizure freedom counteracts negative impact. Preliminary findings indicate that postsurgical training improves memory deficits and encourage further research.
Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany. christian.hoppe@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Christian
C
Hoppe
Christian E
CE
Elger
Christoph
C
Helmstaedter
D038481:Anterior Temporal Lobectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000927:Anticonvulsants