Cognitive disorders with epilepsy: clinical-psychopathological and neuropsychological characteristics, non-pharmacological correction

Abstract

Introduction

Cognitive dysfunction affects the development, treatment compliance, significantly worsens the quality of life and social functioning of the patients with epilepsy.

Objectives

146 patients with epilepsy aged 18 to 65 participated in the study (М-40.7±2.42) were diagnosed with focal, idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes (G40.1, G40.2, G40).

Methods

Clinical-anamnestic, social-demographic, clinical-psychopathological, psycho-diagnostic and statistical.

Results

The study of the attention selectivity was carried out using the Munsterberg test. Only 9 examined patients (6.16%) of the total group had sufficient indices, 35 (23.97%) patients refused from the test, while the rest – 102 (69.87%) had low test results. The overall treatment group score was 7.72, which is by 13.28 lower than in the control group, where the attention selectivity index was 21 (р<0,001), which shows a considerable attention selectivity decrease in patients with epilepsy compared to the healthy persons. According to the МоСА test results, the first treatment group patients showed better cognitive functions (1.4, р<0.001), higher attention selectivity under the Munsterberg test (0.63, р<0.001), lower anxiety level under HARS (1.45, р<0.001), lower depression level under HDRS (1.7, р<0.001) and higher subjective assessment of the life quality (2.77, р<0.05). According to the МоСА test results, the second treatment group patients showed better cognitive functions (0.73, р<0.001), higher attention selectivity under the Munsterberg test (0.27, р<0,05), lower anxiety level under HARS (4.27, р<0.05), lower depression level under HDRS (2.32, р<0.05) and higher subjective assessment of the life quality (1.21, р<0.05). According to the МоСА test results, the comparison group patients demonstrated lower cognitive functions (0.22, р<0.05), higher attention selectivity under the Munsterberg test (0.15, р<0.05), lower anxiety level under HARS (2.61, р<0.001), lower depression level under HDRS (2.49, р<0.001) and higher subjective assessment of the life quality (1.0, р<0.05). The cognitive training showed its effectiveness in healthy persons of the control group: according to the МоСА test results, cognitive functions improved (0.79, р<0.001), compared to the treatment group 2 patients (0.73, р<0.001).

Conclusions

According to the follow-up study data 12 months after the cognitive training and psychoeducation, follow-up study showed better values under depression and anxiety scales, and improved life quality levels in the patients of treatment groups. Patients with epilepsy show a reliable cognitive functioning improvement after a 3-month computerized cognitive training. The study results indicate a more significant cognitive functioning improvement in the patients provided the combined use of the methods of psychoeducation and cognitive training, compared to the use of a cognitive training only.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared