IS PARTIAL EPILEPSY PROGRESSIVE - 10-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF EEG AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN ADULTS WITH PARTIAL SEIZURES

Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine what changes, if any, occur in the electroencephalogram (EEG) and in neuropsychological test findings of adults with medically intractable complex partial epileps y over a 10-year period.Methods: We studied 35 adults, with a mean age of 32 years (range, 16-59 years) at time of initial testing. We compa red the distribution of epileptiform patterns documented on the initia l pair of waking and sleeping EEGs to those observed on another pair o btained 10 years later. During this same 10-year period, we also exami ned changes in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and on the tests from the Neuropsychological Battery for Epilepsy. Results: The EEGs of 28 (80%) of patients at the tenth year were identical to those seen initially. Five (14%) of patients demonstrated EEGs after 10 yea rs with either no discharges or only unilateral discharges, where bila teral discharges were seen a decade earlier. Only two (6%) of patients had EEGs at the tenth year that showed bilateral discharges where onl y unilateral discharges were seen originally. We found no general chan ge in intelligence or neuropsychological functioning after 10 years, a lthough a few subtle losses were noted on several neuropsychological m easures. Conclusions: For most adults with medically intractable compl ex partial epilepsy, the EEG and neuropsychological test scores remain reasonably stable over a decade.