Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: The impact of clinical variables and psychiatric disorders on executive profile assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery

Author(s)

Moschetta, Sylvie P. ^[1] ; Valente, Kette D. ^{[1, 2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Clin Neurophysiol Lab, Inst & Dept Psychiat, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, LIM Lab Neuroimaging Neuropsychiat Disorders 21, Inst & Dept Psychiat, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, NAPNA Res Support Ctr, Univ Sao Paulo Appl Neurosci, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Epilepsy & Behavior; v. 25, n. 4, p. 682-686, DEC 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 19

Abstract

Executive dysfunction is reported in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). However, batteries employed in previous studies included no more than three tests of executive function. In this study, we aimed to assess executive and attentional functions in JME using a comprehensive battery of eight tests (encompassing fifteen subtests). We also evaluated neuropsychological profiles using a clinical criterion of severity and correlated these findings with epilepsy clinical variables and the presence of psychiatric disorders. We prospectively evaluated 42 patients with JME and a matched control group with Digit Span tests (forward and backward), Stroop Color-Word Test, Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test, Matching Familiar Figures Test and Word Fluency Test. We estimated IQ with the Matrix Reasoning and Vocabulary subtests of the Wechsler Abbreviated Intelligence Scale. The patients with JME showed specific deficits in working memory, inhibitory control, concept formation, goal maintenance, mental flexibility, and verbal fluency. We observed attentional deficits in processes such as alertness and attention span and those requiring sustained and divided attention. We found that 83.33% of the patients had moderate or severe executive dysfunction. In addition, attentional and executive impairment was correlated with higher frequency of seizures and the presence of psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, executive dysfunction correlated with a longer duration of epilepsy. Our findings indicate the need for comprehensive neuropsychological batteries in patients with JME, in order to provide a more extensive evaluation of attentional and executive functions and to show that some relevant deficits have been overlooked. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 05/56464-9 - Neuroscience Imaging Center at University of São Paulo Medical School
• Grantee: Giovanni Guido Cerri
• Support Opportunities: Inter-institutional Cooperation in Support of Brain Research (CINAPCE) - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 07/52110-3 - Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: evaluation of attentional and executive functions, personality traits and social adaptation
• Grantee: Sylvie Carolina Paes Moschetta
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master