Frontal vs Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Personality Traits and Neuropsychological Profile

168. DOLDAN L, BUYATTI D, FAREZ M, ALLEGRI R

Congreso; Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology; 2013

American Academy of Neurology

OBJECTIVE: To compare personality traits, depressive symptoms and neuropsychological profile in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) and healthy controls. BACKGROUND: Personality traits and depressive symptoms have been described in epileptic patients, mostly in temporal lobe epilepsy (Gastaut-Geschwind syndrom). Lately it has been found specific cognitive impairments. DESIGN/METHODS: 26 patients aged 18 years or older (12 with FLE and 14 with TLE) matched by age and educational level with 21 healthy controls were studied with Bear Fedio personality Inventory , Depression Inventory in Epilepsy (NDDI-E), an extensive neuropsychological assessment (Trial Making Test, digit span, digit-symbol subtest Wais III, Signoret memory battery, Boston naming test, Semantic Fluency, Stroop test and Letter-Number Test- Wais III). RESULTS: ELF present more traits of circumstantiality, religiosity and dependency, while patients with TLE present vital sadness, irritability, aggressiveness, hyposexuality, guilt, obsessionalism, circumstantialities, viscosity, self appreciation, dependency and sobriety than healthy controls. In between groups comparison, ELF patients differed significantly from TLE patients in aggression, guilt, obsessionalism, circumstantiality, viscosity, religiosity and sobriety. At the neuropsychological assessment we found that patients with ELF and ELT have significant deficit in language, executive functions, attention, verbal and visual memory compared with controls. Finally 27% of ELF patients suffered depression (NDDI-E >15), compared with 14% TLE patients and 6% of healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: To define neuropsychological characteristics, depressive symptoms and personality traits allows a comprehensive approach to epileptic patient