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Epileptic Disorders

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Cognitive impairment in epilepsy: the role of network abnormalities Volume 17, numéro 2, June 2015

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Auteur
Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
* Correspondence: Gregory L Holmes University of Vermont College of Medicine, 95 Carrigan Drive, Neurological Sciences, Stafford 118, Burlington, VT, USA

The challenges to individuals with epilepsy extend far beyond the seizures. Co-morbidities in epilepsy are very common and are often more problematic to individuals than the seizures themselves. In this review, the pathophysiological mechanisms of cognitive impairment are discussed. While aetiology of the epilepsy has a significant influence on cognition, there is increasing evidence that prolonged or recurrent seizures can cause or exacerbate cognitive impairment. Alterations in signalling pathways and neuronal network function play a major role in both the pathophysiology of epilepsy and the epilepsy comorbidities. However, the biological underpinnings of cognitive impairment can be distinct from the pathophysiological processes that cause seizures.