Abstract
Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis (TLE/HS) have a distinct neuropsychological profile, but there is still debate on whether executive dysfunction is part of this profile and also whether temporal lobe surgery can modify this dysfunction.
Objective:
To study the presence and reversibility of executive dysfunction in patients with unilateral TLE/HS.
Methods:
Twenty-five patients with refractory seizures due to TLE/HS underwent presurgical evaluation which included the application of the Wiconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Nineteen were re-evaluated in follow up, at least 6 months after selective amygdalo-hippocampectomy (SAH). Twenty-two control subjects matched for age and education also performed the WCST.
Results:
Sixteen of the 25 patients (64%) completed fewer than four categories in the WCST whereas only 4 of the 22 controls (18%) did not complete at least four categories (p<0.005). In addition, the performance of the patients involved significantly more perseverative responses and errors compared to controls. The patient group demonstrated significant post-operative improvement in many measures of the WCST following SAH.
Conclusions:
These findings support the presence of executive dysfunction in patients with TLE/HS and suggest that such dysfunction can be partially reversed by selective resection of epileptogenic mesial temporal structures.
Key words:
temporal lobe epilepsy; hippocampal sclerosis; executive dysfunction; Wisconsin card sorting test; epilepsy surgery
Resumo
Pacientes com epilepsia de lobo temporal associada à esclerose hipocampal (ELT/EH) têm um perfil neuropsicológico em sua maior parte bem reconhecido, embora discuta-se se manifestações de disfunção executiva acompanham este perfil e se esta disfunção poderia ser modificada por cirurgia da epilepsia de lobo temporal.
Objetivo:
Estudar a presença e reversibilidade da disfunção executiva em pacientes com ELT/EH unilateral.
Métodos:
Vinte e cinco pacientes com crises refratárias associadas à ELT/EH foram submetidos à avaliação pré-cirúrgica que incluiu a aplicação do Teste de Seleção de Cartas de Wisconsin (TSCW). Dezenove foram reavaliados um mínimo de 6 meses após amígdalo-hipocampectomia seletiva (AHS). O TSCW foi também aplicado a 22 indivíduos controles pareados por idade e nível educacional.
Resultados:
Dezesseis dos 25 pacientes (64%) completaram menos de quatro categorias no TSCW, enquanto que apenas 4 dos 22 indivíduos do grupo controle (18%) tiveram este mesmo nível e disfunção (p<0.005). Além disto, a performance dos pacientes aresentava significativamente mais respostas e erros perseverativos do que os controles. Analisados como um grupo, os pacientes apresentaram melhoras significativas em várias medidas do TSCW após AHS.
Conclusão:
Estes achados apontam para a presença de disfunção executiva em pacientes com ELT/EH e sugerem que esta disfunção pode ser parcialmente revertida pela ressecção seletiva das estruturas temporais mesiais epileptogênicos.
Palavras-chave:
epilepsia do lobo temporal; escleroses hipocampal; disfunção executiva; Wisconsin card sorting test; cirurgia da epilepsia.
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Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Apr-Jun 2007