Evaluation of the impact of surgical treatment on motor performance and quality of life of epilepsy patients

• Grant number: 19/23316-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2020
• End date: September 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Clarissa Lin Yasuda
• Grantee: Maria Julia Mendes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07559-3 - BRAINN - The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions amongst the world's population, affecting individuals of all ages and causing a neurobiological, cognitive, psychological and social impact in the lives of those who have it, especially due to its chronic character. The drug treatment of epilepsy enhances the quality of life of a significant number of patients permitting seizure control for most the subjects. About 30% of people with epilepsy (PWE), however, do not achieve therapeutic success with the use of antiepileptic drugs, having, therefore, pharmacoresistant. For these subjects, the surgical treatment can constitute a beneficial option, after a thorough multimodal investigation and adequate individual evaluation of risks and benefits. Due to the disease's epidemiological importance, the study of cognitive alterations in patients has been widely explored. On the other hand, the knowledge about the impact of the disease(and the antiepileptic drugs) on motor function is still scarce, even though neuroimaging studies suggest structural alterations in a white and gray matter involving motor cerebral regions in patients with epilepsy. The evaluation of motor performance in operated patients can be an important instrument in the understanding of the influence of invasive processes and seizure control over the suggested motor alterations. This evaluation can be performed through selected motor tests: the "Nine Pin Test" and the "Box and Blocks Test" enable the evaluation of manual dexterity. The "Hanoi Tower" evaluates the executive functions and the "WAIS Cube Tests" can be used to evaluate the patient's visual-spatial abilities. Furthermore, the follow up of patients before and after the surgical procedure, as proposed in the present study, shows a valuable source of information about the influence of the disease and the surgical treatment on important aspects related to the quality of life, like sexual functionality, anxiety, and depression. (AU)