A fokális gyógyszerrezisztens epilepsziás betegek neuropszichológiai teljesítménye és az azt befolyásoló farmakoterápiás tényezők – Pilot study

Abstract

Background and Aims: Epilepsy is a neurological condition affecting 1% of the global population, impairing quality of life among others. Drug-resistant epilepsy can be diagnosed after continuosly having epileptic seizures, despite being treated with politherapy. This condition affects every third patient. As in the recent decades, anticonvulsant drugs’ tolerance-level became wider, secondary effects emerged including mood stabilising and cognitive improvement (mainly executive functions). This study aims to present a current state of the original 5-year-long research plan and methodology, regarding cognitive and affective conditions of a Hungarian epileptic patients’ group, thus assessing the effects modulated by Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam.
Methods: 17 epileptic patients were included in this study (of which 13 women), compared to 16 matched healthy control participants (gender was split equally). The following measurement tools were used in this study: Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Trail Making Test, verbal fluency, semantic fluency, verb fluency, straight and reversed number range test, Rey-Complex Figure, and lastly, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Results: Epileptic patients’ cognitive decline in performance is partially significant, compared to healthy subjects. Lamotrigine does not show a significant modulating effect on perceived depression. Carbamazepine has no significant effect on perceived depression. Levetiracetam may have a limited preserving effect on cognitive abilities, regarding our patients’group.
Discussion: Anticonvulsants’ effects on cognitive and affective domains may evince on a smaller sample size. The current state indicates good progress towards a final neuropsychological toolset, which could improve general and specialised care of epileptic patients.