EPILEPSY IN THE FRONTAL LOBES - NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The disruption of cognitive functions by epileptic discharges arising from specific foci in the frontal regions have rarely been described, probably reflecting the previous difficulties in the collection of ade quately described groups. We describe the neuropsychological consequen ces of frontal lobe epilepsy dependent on the epileptic focus in the f rontal region. A group of 74 subjects with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) was assessed; 30 had a dorsolateral dysfunction (17 left, 13 right), 11 had mesial (7 left, 4 right), 10 had orbitofrontal (5 left, 5 right ), 10 had motor/premotor (5 left, 5 right), and 13 had extensive (i.e. , more than one frontal region, 8 left, 5 right) dysfunction. Comparis ons were made between the groups on a battery of neuropsychological me asures believed to be sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction. The resul ts indicated only 2 of 26 variables to be specifically impaired depend ent on the location of epileptic foci in the frontal lobe (p < 0.05), an observation that emphasizes the difficulty in assessing functions i n this region and the consequences that rapidly diffusing epileptic ac tivity may have on cognitive function. We conclude that documentation of consistent deficits associated with frontal lobe epileptic foci wil l prove difficult.