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Domańska M, Zawadzka M, Konieczna S, Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska M. Impairment of cognitive functions in children and adolescents with focal epilepsy. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17210. [PMID: 37360098 PMCID: PMC10285258 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (FLE) and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) are the two most frequent types of focal epilepsies and they are connected with difficulties in cognitive functioning. Despite multiple trials to systematize profile of cognitive functioning among children with epilepsy by researchers, the available data are ambiguous. The aim of our study was to compare the cognitive function of children upon diagnosis of TLE and FLE and during follow-up and to compare with a control group of healthy children. Material and methods Study included 39 patients with newly diagnosed TLE, 24 patients with FLE whose first epileptic seizure occurred between their 6th and 12th year of life and 24 healthy children matched by age, sex and IQ level. Neuropsychological examination was performed the moment of diagnosis and 2-3 years later using diagnostic tools validated and standardized to the patient's age. Intergroup comparison was conducted in both stages of study. Also, correlation between localization of epileptic focus and cognitive difficulties was analysed. Results Children with FLE and TLE accomplished worse results in most of the cognitive tasks compared to the control group already in the initial examination. Patients with FLE presented difficulties in memorizing verbal and visual material, attention and in learning new information. Patients with TLE had difficulties in tasks engaging verbal and non-verbal memory and attention. In the follow-up, patients with FLE presented more severe cognitive impairment compared with the other groups. Despite similar tendencies among children with TLE significantly worse results in tasks engaging verbal memory and attention were observed among patients with FLE. It is noteworthy that patients suffering from FLE and TLE present deficits in many aspects of cognitive functioning already at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion Children and adolescents suffering from epilepsy are at risk of psychosocial difficulties, emotional disorders and mental illnesses. Thus, full assessment of cognitive function is essential in this patient group not only at the moment of diagnosis but also during follow-up in order to quickly introduce an individual support system.
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Rinaldi VE, Di Cara G, Mencaroni E, Verrotti A. Therapeutic Options for Childhood Absence Epilepsy. Pediatr Rep 2021; 13:658-667. [PMID: 34941639 PMCID: PMC8705546 DOI: 10.3390/pediatric13040078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a common pediatric generalized epileptic syndrome. Although it is traditionally considered as a benign self-limited condition, the apparent benign nature of this syndrome has been revaluated in recent years. This is mainly due to the increasing evidence that children with CAE can present invalidating neuropsychological comorbidities that will affect them up to adulthood. Moreover, a percentage of affected children can develop drug-resistant forms of CAE. The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent studies and new concepts concerning CAE treatment, in particular concerning drug-resistant forms of CAE. A Pubmed search was undertaken to identify all articles concerning management and treatment of CAE, including articles written between 1979 and 2021. Traditional anticonvulsant therapy of CAE that is still in use is based on three antiepileptic drugs: ethosuximide which is the drug of choice, followed by valproic acid and lamotrigine. In the case of first line treatment failure, after two monotherapies it is usual to start a bi-therapy. In the case of absence seizures that are refractory to traditional treatment, other antiepileptic drugs may be introduced such as levetiracetam, topiramate and zonisamide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Di Cara
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy; (G.D.C.); (E.M.); (A.V.)
| | - Elisabetta Mencaroni
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy; (G.D.C.); (E.M.); (A.V.)
| | - Alberto Verrotti
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy; (G.D.C.); (E.M.); (A.V.)
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Beatty CW, Lockrow JP, Gedela S, Gehred A, Ostendorf AP. The Missed Value of Underutilizing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery: A Systematic Review. Semin Pediatr Neurol 2021; 39:100917. [PMID: 34620465 DOI: 10.1016/j.spen.2021.100917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric epilepsy surgery is underutilized. Only 1%-11% of children with drug resistant epilepsy (DRE) undergo surgical treatment, or less than half of those estimated to benefit. We conducted a systematic review of articles published in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science in order to study the factors related to surgery underutilization as well as the impact on both the individual and the healthcare system. Our review demonstrates multiple factors leading to underutilization, including family misconceptions about epilepsy surgery, lack of provider knowledge, as well as systemic health disparities. While the upfront cost of epilepsy surgery is significant, the long-term financial benefits and reduced health resource utilization tilt the economic advantage in favor of surgery in children with DRE. Additionally, timely interventions improve seizure and cognitive outcomes with low risk of complications. Further interventions are needed at the levels of family, provider, and the healthcare system to increase access to pediatric epilepsy surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Beatty
- The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital, Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbus, OH
| | - Jason P Lockrow
- Department of Neurology, Section of Pediatric Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Satyanarayana Gedela
- Emory University and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, GA
| | - Alison Gehred
- Medical Library Division, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Adam P Ostendorf
- The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital, Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbus, OH.
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Bailey K, McAdam-Wong D, Im-Bolter N. Language measurement in childhood epilepsy: A review. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 217:104940. [PMID: 33819772 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.104940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents with epilepsy is affected by comorbid language deficits. Little is known about the focus of current research in language and epilepsy. A systematic review of research was conducted to identify gaps in knowledge regarding language and epilepsy. In total, 83 published articles were eligible for inclusion. More studies included samples presenting with focal seizures (k = 39) compared to generalized seizures (k = 10), few included measures of morphology (k = 4). Most studies (k = 66) included samples of participants across a wide age range. Our review indicated t-hat future research should include a greater focus on participants with more diversity in epilepsy etiology (e.g., symptomatic epilepsy), and seizure type (e.g., generalized seizures), assessment of additional areas of language (e.g., morphology), increased focus on early childhood, focused examination of specific developmental stages, and greater use of comparison groups with an alternate epilepsy diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada.
| | | | - Nancie Im-Bolter
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
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Esteso Orduña B, Fournier Del Castillo MDLC, Cámara Barrio S, García Fernández M, Andrés Esteban EM, Álvarez-Linera Prado J, Budke M, Maldonado Belmonte MJ, González Marqués J, Pérez Jiménez MÁ. Cognitive and behavioral profiles of pediatric surgical candidates with frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 117:107808. [PMID: 33640566 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to prospectively analyze memory and executive and social cognitive functioning in patients with drug-resistant frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with focal lesions and isolate the impact of intellectual ability on specific deficits. METHODS A neuropsychological evaluation was performed in 23 children with FLE, 22 children with TLE, and 36 healthy pediatric controls (HCs). Patients in the epilepsy groups had a range of lesions, including low-grade epilepsy-associated tumors (LEAT), focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type II, and mesial temporal sclerosis (MS). RESULTS There were no significant differences between children with FLE and TLE regarding memory, executive, or social cognitive functioning. General Ability Index (GAI) was a predictor of memory, executive function, and social cognition scores and was influenced by age at onset, duration of epilepsy, and number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) prescribed at the time of assessment. Working Memory Index scores of patients with TLE, which measure verbal mnesic processing, were significantly lower than those of HCs and patients with TLE. The greatest differences in both clinical groups compared to HCs were recorded in cognitive executive functions, and patients with FLE had lower scores in this domain. Regarding behavioral executive functions, patients with TLE presented impaired emotional control and impulse inhibition and patients with FLE exhibited decreased flexibility. CONCLUSION Consistent with previous research, our findings provide further detailed evidence of small differences in cognitive performance among children with FLE and TLE. These differences emerge on analysis of the factors with which deficits are associated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borja Esteso Orduña
- Clinical Neuropsychology Unit, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Silvia Cámara Barrio
- Clinical Neuropsychology Unit, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta García Fernández
- Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, Clinical Neurophysiology Department, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Marcelo Budke
- Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Javier González Marqués
- Cognitive Processes Department, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Pérez Jiménez
- Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, Clinical Neurophysiology Department, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
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Memory outcomes following hemispherectomy in children. Epilepsy Behav 2020; 112:107360. [PMID: 32882625 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.107360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A vast proportion of children with epilepsy exhibit memory impairments. Although numerous studies have examined memory performance following pediatric resective epilepsy surgery, little is known about the memory outcomes following hemispherectomy. The few studies that report on memory performance typically include restricted measures, consist of case reports, or do not report on preoperative performance. Given the current limitations, the aim of this study was to delineate pre- and postoperative memory functioning in youth who underwent a hemispherectomy. METHOD Participants included patients who had undergone a hemispherectomy at the Hospital for Sick Children, between 1999 and 2016. Standardized neuropsychological assessments of verbal (digit span, word list recall, word pair recall, stories) and visual (faces, dot locations) memory abilities prior to and after surgery were reviewed. A Wilcoxon signed rank test and effect sizes was completed to compare patients' memory performance to population norms and to assess pre- to postoperative difference scores. RESULTS Thirteen participants were included in the study: five patients completed preoperative assessments only and eight patients completed pre- and postoperative assessments. Preoperatively, patients performed substantially worse relative to population norms as indicated by large effect sizes (r: 0.5-0.9). Postoperatively, effect sizes were large for the majority of the memory tests, demonstrating considerable differences in patients' memory scores over time. When clinically meaningful changes were examined, stable performance was evident on 63% of the memory tasks. CONCLUSION Overall, the results highlight that youth who are eligible for hemispherectomy demonstrate profound memory deficits prior to surgery. In addition, undergoing hemispherectomy was not necessarily associated with declined memory performance, with the majority of patients showing stable scores.
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Kibby MY, Cohen MJ, Stanford L, Park YD. Are frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy dissociable in their memory functioning? Epilepsy Behav 2019; 99:106487. [PMID: 31476730 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There is controversy in the literature as to how dissociable frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are in terms of memory deficits. Some researchers have demonstrated that FLE is associated with greater executive dysfunction including working memory, whereas TLE is associated with greater memory impairment. Others have found the two groups to be comparable in memory functioning. Hence, we examined this question in children with FLE and TLE versus typically developing controls. We found most of the expected effects when the groups with focal onset epilepsy were compared to controls. Specifically, children with left TLE performed worse on verbal short-term memory/learning and long-term memory measures. In contrast, children with right TLE exhibited a more global pattern of difficulty on short-term memory/learning measures but performed worse than controls on long-term memory for faces. Children with FLE performed worse than controls on verbal working memory. Nevertheless, laterality effects were mild, as children with right and left TLE did not differ significantly from each other. Further, children with FLE did not differ from those with TLE on most measures except delayed facial recognition, where children with right TLE performed worse. In addition, attention problems and poor behavioral regulation were related to encoding problems in both the total epilepsy sample and in children with TLE specifically. Hence, our findings overall are consistent with prior studies indicating that children with TLE and FLE are commensurate in most aspects of memory impairment when compared to each other, likely related to rapid propagation between the frontal and temporal lobes, as would be expected with an excitatory lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Y Kibby
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Psychology, LSII, Room 281, Carbondale, IL 62901-6502, USA.
| | - Morris J Cohen
- Pediatric Neuropsychology International, 2963 Foxhall Circle, Augusta, GA 30907, USA.
| | - Lisa Stanford
- NeuroDevelopmental Science Center, Akron Children's Hospital, Considine Professional Building, 215 W. Bowery St., Suite 4400, Akron, OH 44308, United States of America.
| | - Yong D Park
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Children's Medical Center, 1446 Harper Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
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Oyegbile TO. The role of task-based neural activation research in understanding cognitive deficits in pediatric epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2019; 99:106332. [PMID: 31399340 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Children with epilepsy can experience significant cognitive dysfunction that can lead to academic underachievement. Traditionally believed to be primarily due to the effects of factors such as the chronicity of epilepsy, medication effects, or the location of the primary epileptogenic lesion;, recent evidence has indicated that disruption of cognition-specific distributed neural networks may play a significant role as well. Specifically, over the last decade, researchers have begun to characterize the mechanisms underlying disrupted cognitive substrates by evaluating neural network abnormalities observed during specific cognitive tasks, using task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This targeted review assesses the current literature investigating the relationship between neural network abnormalities and cognitive deficits in pediatric epilepsy. The findings indicate that there are indeed neural network abnormalities associated with deficits in executive function, language, processing speed, and memory. Overall, cognitive dysfunction in pediatric epilepsy is associated with a decrease in neural network activation/deactivation as well as increased recruitment of brain regions not typically related to the specific cognitive task under investigation. The research to date has focused primarily on children with focal epilepsy syndromes with small sample sizes and differing research protocols. More extensive research in children with a wider representation of epilepsy syndromes (including generalized epilepsy syndromes) is necessary to fully understand these relationships and begin to identify underlying cognitive phenotypes that may account for the variability observed across children with epilepsy. Furthermore, more uniformity in fMRI protocols and neuropsychological tasks would be ideal to advance this literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Temitayo O Oyegbile
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C., United States of America.
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Gharaylou Z, Shafaghi L, Oghabian MA, Yoonessi A, Tafakhori A, Shahsavand Ananloo E, Hadjighassem M. Longitudinal Effects of Bumetanide on Neuro-Cognitive Functioning in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy. Front Neurol 2019; 10:483. [PMID: 31133976 PMCID: PMC6517515 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have repeatedly shown inconsistent and almost contradictory effects on the neurocognitive system, from substantial impairments in processing speed to the noticeable improvement in working memory and executive functioning. Previous studies have provided a novel insight into the cognitive improvement by bumetanide as a potential antiepileptic drug. Through the current investigation, we evaluated the longitudinal effects of bumetanide, an NKCC1 co-transporter antagonist, on the brain microstructural organization as a probable underlying component for cognitive performance. Microstructure assessment was completed using SPM for the whole brain assay and Freesurfer/TRACULA for the automatic probabilistic tractography analysis. Primary cognitive operations including selective attention and processing speed, working memory capacity and spatial memory were evaluated in 12 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of refractory epilepsy. Participants treated with bumetanide (2 mg/ day) in two divided doses as an adjuvant therapy to their regular AEDs for 6 months, which followed by the re-assessment of their cognitive functions and microstructural organizations. Seizure frequency reduced in eight patients which accompanied by white matter reconstruction; fractional anisotropy (FA) increased in the cingulum-cingulate gyrus (CCG), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), and temporal part of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLFt) in correlation with the clinical response. The voxel-based analysis in responder patients revealed increased FA in the left hippocampus, right cerebellum, and right medial temporal lobe, while mean diffusivity (MD) values reduced in the right occipital lobe and cerebellum. Microstructural changes in SLFt and ATR accompanied by a reduction in the error rate in the spatial memory test. These primary results have provided preliminary evidence for the effect of bumetanide on cognitive functioning through microstructural changes in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Gharaylou
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Lida Shafaghi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oghabian
- Neuroimaging and Analysis Group, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Yoonessi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Tafakhori
- Imam Khomeini Hospital, Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mahmoudreza Hadjighassem
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Cognitive impairments are common in children with epilepsy. They may already be present before the onset of epilepsy or occur - and even progress - during its course. Many variables contribute to cognitive dysfunction. Those that can be targeted to prevent (further) cognitive impairment will be highlighted in this review. RECENT FINDINGS Ideally, but not yet realistically, epileptogenesis is prevented to avert seizures and cognitive impairments in high-risk patients. New and targeted treatments of progressive epileptogenic disorders and precision medicine approaches in genetic epilepsies are increasingly applied. Cognitive outcome benefits from early diagnosis and treatment of epileptic encephalopathy. Ongoing seizures may cause permanent and progressive changes in brain structure and connectivity, suggesting that early seizure control optimizes eventual cognitive functioning. Frequent interictal epileptiform discharges justify treatment in children with cognitive impairments that are otherwise unexplained. Cognitive adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs should be closely monitored and balanced against potential benefits. Finally, early surgical treatment in selected candidates will improve their cognitive outcome. SUMMARY Although important determinants of intellectual functioning - including the child's genetic and environmental background and the epileptogenic pathology - may not be modifiable, several variables that contribute to cognitive impairment can be targeted to improve outcome. Early etiological diagnosis, personalized therapies, presurgical evaluation, and strict control of seizures - or in some patients interictal discharges - can prevent (further) cognitive impairments.
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