Cognitive deficits in epilepsy and contribution to psychopathology

Although most patients with epilepsy lead normal lives with few or no cogni tive or psychiatric alterations, a substantial minority of epilepsy patient s experience neurobehavioral problems that can significantly disrupt employ ment, school, family life, and other aspects of daily living. This article provides a comprehensive review of neurobehavioral changes seen in patients with epilepsy, including cognitive dysfunction and psychiatric disturbance s. The cognitive problems most commonly found are deficits in attention, co ncentration, memory, and word finding. Psychopathology in epilepsy may be m anifested as depression, anxiety, psychoses, and/or aberrant personality tr aits. Risk factors for cognitive and psychiatric changes, etiology of cogni tive deficits, localizing patterns, cognitive effects of antiepileptic drug s, and treatment suggestions are also presented.