Assessment of the Cognitive function in the epileptic patients and effect of anti epileptic drugs

Abstract

This study is a prospective study that aimed to evaluate cognitive function in newly diagnosed epileptic patients before and 3 months after taking an antiepileptic drug by doing Wechsler IQ for patients before and 3 months after treatment and for their parents . the study included 40 patients. Divided into 4 groups  (each containing 10 patients ) and subjected to one of the following AEDs  for  3  months : 1. group A : receiving Carbamazepine (Tegretol)  in a dose of 10-20 mg/kg/day,2. group B receiving Na valproate (Depakine) in a dose of 20-40 mg/kg/day,3. group C : receiving Lamotrigine (Lamictal)  in a dose of 3-5 mg/kg/day,4. group D : receiving Topiramate in a dose of 3-6 mg/kg/day.Taking into consideration other factors that may be of Significance in affecting cognitive functions as seizure frequency ,age at onset of seizures and EEG abnormality. The results of the study were as following:1-There are statistically significant differences between IQs before and after treatment in the 4 groups. 2-there is +ve correlation between IQs before and after ttt in all groups.3- there is -ve correlation between IQs after ttt and frequency of seizures in group (B).4- There is +ve correlation between IQs of parents and patients? IQs before ttt in all groups.5-there is +ve correlation between IQs after ttt and parents' IQs  in all group,From these results we can conclude that  heredity is the main factor responsible for most of the decline in cognitive functions seen in epileptic patients after  treatment with AEDs and other factors as   seizure frequency, age at onset of seizures and EEG  abnormalities may also  play  a role,  By comparing the four groups we found that the impairment in cognitive function is mainly related to the impairment in cognitive function already present in those patients before the start of treatment. which were correlated and inherited in all groups.

Keywords: Epilepsy,Cognition,Antiepileptic drugs