Determents of some cognitive functions in adult males with generalized tonic clonic idiopathic epilepsy

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to assess some cognitive functions among adult male patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures of idiopathic epilepsy. Forty-nine right-handed male patients with generalized [tonic - clonic] idiopathic epilepsy were recruited from outpatient epileptic clinic, Assuit University hospitals. Another 42 subjects of the same age and sex-matched adults were chosen as a control group. Each participating subject was subjected to assessment of cognitive function using Stanford-Binet [4[th] edition], complete medical history, clinical examination [with special emphasis on epilepsy-related factors and drug - related factors] and EEG records [for epileptic patients only]. Epileptic patients reported highly significant impairment across all measured cognitive functions compared with the healthy group. Polytherapy epileptic group was the worst one followed by carbamazepine monotherapy epileptic group and the least was valporate monotherapy epileptic group. Early age of onset, increased severity of seizure, and prolonged duration of treatment [years] showed significant negative correlation in some studied cognitive functions subscales. Adult males with generalized tonic-clonic idiopathic epilepsy experience cognitive function deterioration. Polytherapy, early age at onset, increase severity of seizure and prolonged duration of treatment increase the risk for negative cognitive dysfunction