Peculiarities of Cognitive Disorders in Adult Patients with Epilepsy

Aim: The basic aim of the article is to study the state of cognitive functions in patients with epilepsy due to clinical characteristics and a pharmacological group of received anticonvulsive medicines using MMSE test and examination of cognitive induced potential P300.

Place and Duration of Study: The Department of Neurology at Tashkent Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, between April 2012 and April 2013.

Methodology and Study Design: The study was conducted on the basis of the neurological department of the city hospital number 7 in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). 75 patients with epilepsy at the age from 21 to 42 being under treatment at hospital were examined. The average age of patients in the debut of the disease was 32±9.3 years. The clinical form of the disease and epileptic seizures were determined based on the International Classification of epileptic seizures and the International Classification of epilepsy and seizures. Clinical assessment of cognitive functions was performed using MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) test. Besides this method of research of cognitive evoked EEG potential to acoustic stimulation, and the assessment of potential latencies of P300, which reflects the cognitive processes of attention and perception, N200 was used, reflecting the process of initial identification of the stimulus.

Results: The results indicated the presence of more severe cognitive disorders in patients who were sick for more than 5 years, with symptomatic epilepsy, generalized convulsive seizures and taking barbiturates. It was established by assessing cognitive function method, that examination of potential P300 is more sensitive in comparison with MMSE test.

Conclusion: Our results clearly demonstrate the extension of the latent period of the components of P300 complex at all examined patients, shows a decline in the integral functions of the central nervous system and the mechanisms of information processing occurring in epilepsy. While taking AEDs, cognitive deficit increases in the following order valproates – carbamazepine – barbiturates.