Citation

Dreifuss FE. Epilepsia 1992; 33(Suppl 1): S7-12.

Affiliation

Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1644055

Abstract

In persons suffering from epilepsy, cognitive functioning may be compromised for various reasons, including--first and foremost--the learning and behavioral effects of the conditions causing the epilepsy. In addition, the epilepsy itself may cause changes in the nervous system through the metabolic and excitotoxic effects of the seizures and the neurotransmitter elements involved at the membrane level. The effect of the treatment modality, be it pharmacologic or surgical, may also play havoc with cognitive function. The neurobehavioral effects of antiepileptic drugs, although probably less important with the newer agents than in the past, must be considered, especially in polypharmacy, as recent reports have indicated. With increasing data, the effects of various surgical procedures on the cognitive elements of human behavior are becoming better recognized.

Language: en