AN INVESTIGATION OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF EPILEPTIC PATIENTS UNDER DRUG TREATMENT IN COMPARISON TO NORMAL PEOPLE.

Memory disturbance is common in epileptic patients and might be changed by anti convulsion drugs. In this research neuropsychological functions of epileptic patients with grand mal seizure (GMS) and complex partial seizure (CPS) who have been under drug treatment were compared together and then with normal people.

Materials and Methods: In a descriptive study 60 epileptic patients between 15 to 44 ages with GMS and CPS were randomly selected from neurology clinics and were given neuropsychological tests. Data was analyzed by SPSS.

Results: There was no significant difference between epileptic and normal people in visual memory. However there was a significant difference between epileptic and normal people in attention and working memory (P<0.05). Also there was a significant difference between GMS and CPS patients in attention and working memory but there was no difference between them in visual memory.

Conclusion: The results suggesting that disturbances in attention and working memory might be due to either drug therapy or underlying pathology of GMS and CPS or both.