Neuropsychological evaluation of cognitive processes in epilepsy

Abstract

In the present investigation, a syndromic picture of the cognitive functions of patients diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy was developed. The main characteristics of this type of crisis were identified and what they represent for the life and treatment, both pharmacological and therapeutic, of these patients. Three case studies were conducted with participants diagnosed with this syndrome from childhood, aged between 30 and 50, who have recurrent crises despite drug treatment. A neuropsychological evaluation was made up of interviews and three tests: Comprehensive Neuropsychological Evaluation for adults, Cardamone (2004), Neuropsychological Diagnosis of Luria, Luria (1974) and Brief Intelligence Test of Kaufman, Kaufman and Kaufman (2000). The study variables used were cognitive processes. The results confirm the clinical diagnosis and theory. When the appearance of temporal lobe epilepsy is in childhood, when the patient reaches adulthood there are alterations of the general memory both long and short term, of the conscious and incidental selective attention and of the function required to Learn new concepts. Difficulties were also found in both receptive and expressive language and intellectual functions, such as alterations in emotions and personality. The epileptogenic zone was found and it was found that the aura (physical manifestations that anticipate a seizure) described by the participants, agrees with the type of epilepsy studied.