Cognitive impairment profile differences in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures and epilepsy patients with generalized seizures

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to compare cognitive skills in epilepsy patients and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) patients who have no history of frequent seizures to those of a healthy control group.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2017 and June 2019 and included 103 epilepsy patients, 100 PNES patients, and 101 healthy controls, aged 18 to 60 years. Patients with fewer than 12 annual seizure episodes and no history of seizures during the last 30 days were added to the study. A sociodemographic data form, the Beck Anxiety and Depression Scales, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Digit Span test, and Stroop Color-Word Interference Test were used.

Results: Compared to the control group, sub-component scores were significantly lower in naming, attention, abstract thinking, and delayed recall for the epilepsy and PNES groups. Sub-component scores in orientation, executive functioning, and delayed recall were significantly lower in the epilepsy group compared to the PNES group. Digits Backward subtest scores and total Digit Span test scores were significantly lower in the epilepsy and PNES groups. Patients in the epilepsy and PNES groups took longer to complete the Stroop test and made more errors and corrections compared to the healthy controls. There was a negative correlation between the duration of the disease and the total Digit Span score in the epilepsy group.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that the epilepsy group showed reduced cognitive scores even though they did not suffer from frequent seizures and were not drug-resistant.

KEYWORDS:

• Memory
• stroop
• MoCA
• attention
• digit Span
• neurocognitive function

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to people with epilepsy, PNES, and healthy volunteer in our study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Özgül Karaaslan

Özgül Karaaslan: Involved in data synthesis, study drafting, study design, study conceptualization, analysis or interpretation of the data, manuscript preparation and revised the manuscript.

Mehmet Hamamcı

Mehmet Hamamcı: Involved in data synthesis, study drafting, study conceptualization, analysis or interpretation of the data, manuscript preparation and revised the manuscript.