Which cognitive functions are affected by epilepsy?

Epilepsy may affect orientation, attention, memory, executive functions, language, praxis, visuospatial skills, social cognition and processing speed, depending on seizure location and severity.

What causes cognitive impairment in epilepsy?

Cognitive impairment can result from the disease itself—age at onset, seizure type, frequency and duration—and from treatment factors such as antiepileptic medication type and adverse effects.

Can epilepsy medication affect cognition?

Antiepileptic drugs can impair attention, memory or processing speed in some patients; cognitive effects vary by medication, dose and individual sensitivity, and may be managed by treatment adjustments.

How does temporal lobe epilepsy affect memory?

Temporal lobe seizures often produce memory difficulties, reduced attention and slower information processing because the temporal lobe is critical for encoding and retrieving memories.

What is the role of neuropsychology in epilepsy care?

Neuropsychology evaluates cognitive status, documents functional changes, informs medication or surgical decisions, and provides cognitive rehabilitation to improve daily functioning and quality of life.

Epilepsy: what it is and what role it plays in cognitive decline

Q: Does epilepsy cause cognitive impairment?

Epilepsy can cause cognitive impairment in some people, particularly when seizures originate in specific brain regions, are frequent, prolonged, or begin early in life. Many individuals with well-controlled epilepsy maintain normal cognitive function.

Does epilepsy cause cognitive impairment? On the occasion of World Epilepsy Awareness Day, celebrated on March 26, we explain in this article the cognitive consequences of epilepsy and discuss the role of the neuropsychologist in the rehabilitation of cognitive impairment in people with epilepsy.

What is epilepsy?

It is a chronic disease of the central nervous system triggered by excessive electrical activity of neurons in a specific area of the brain. In fact, it manifests as recurrent seizures that can be convulsive or not.

How does epilepsy affect cognitive functions?

Cognitive functions are the mental processes that allow us to carry out any everyday task. Therefore, they enable people to function and interact with the world around them. Cognitive functions include orientation, gnosis, attention, executive functions, praxis, language, memory, social cognition and visuospatial skills.

Most people who have this condition and receive appropriate treatment have the disease well controlled and lead a normal life.

However, sometimes when seizures originate in certain areas of the brain, such as the temporal lobe, they can lead to memory problems, difficulties with attention and concentration and slowness in processing information. In fact, attention deficit is common in children.

Why does this cognitive impairment occur?

The effects on cognitive functions or cognitive impairment can be due to both:

To the disease itself

Age at onset of epilepsy,
type of seizures,
frequency of seizures,
duration of seizures.

To treatment

Type of medication,
effects of the medications.

What role does neuropsychology play?

Neuropsychological intervention is essential to describe the cognitive status or impairment of people with epilepsy. Neuropsychologists assess the functional changes caused by this disease and determine whether a change in pharmacological strategy or a surgical option is necessary.

At the same time, the neuropsychologist plays a fundamental role in the rehabilitation of affected cognitive functions with the aim of improving the quality of life of these people.