title: Transient epileptic amnesia mistaken for mild cognitive impairment? A high-density EEG study.
abstract: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) converts to Alzheimer's disease within a few years of diagnosis in up to 80% of patients. The identification among such a population of a rare form of epilepsy (transient epileptic amnesia [TEA]), characterized by mixed anterograde and retrograde amnesia with apparent preservation of other cognitive functions, excessively rapid decay of newly acquired memories, and loss of memories for salient personal events of the remote past, strongly affects prognosis and medical treatment. Our aim was to define the clinical utility of routine high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in patients with MCI for the detection of epilepsy, especially TEA. Using high-density EEG (256 channels), we were able to single out 3 cases of TEA previously misdiagnosed as MCI in this cohort of 76 consecutive patients with MCI diagnosed at our center. Antiepileptic treatment effectively stopped the acute episodes of memory loss. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an incidence of 4% of TEA recorded in such a cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Motor Movement Sciences, Section of Neurology, University of Verona, Piazzale LA Scuro, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Felice
authors.affiliation: USO Centro Alzheimer e Disturbi Cognitivi, Neurologia d.O., AOUI Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Broggio
authors.affiliation: USO Centro Alzheimer e Disturbi Cognitivi, Neurologia d.O., AOUI Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valbusa
authors.affiliation: USO Centro Alzheimer e Disturbi Cognitivi, Neurologia d.O., AOUI Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambina
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Foundation IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arcaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Motor Movement Sciences, Section of Neurology, University of Verona, Piazzale LA Scuro, Verona, Italy; Clinical Neurophysiology and Functional Neuroimaging Unit, Section of Neurology, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy; Department of Neurophysiology, Foundation IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manganotti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020236:Amnesia, Transient Global / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: 256-channel EEG; Incidence; Mild cognitive deterioration; Transient epileptic amnesia