A-162 Neuropsychiatric Elevations in Epilepsy Patients with and without Severe Memory Impairment

Abstract

Abstract Objective Severe memory impairment in epilepsy is associated with increased difficulties in daily living that extend beyond the limitations of having seizure disorder and create greater emotional burden. Accordingly, the current study explored psychopathological differences between epilepsy patients with and without severe memory impairment. Method This retrospective chart review study included 78 adults with epilepsy who underwentneuropsychological testing in a hospital setting. Most participants (78%) had temporallobe epilepsy. Study measures included Word Memory Test (WMT), cognitive measures, and self-report Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Genuine Memory Impairment Profile (GMIP) on the WMT was used as an indicator of severe memorydeficit. Results GMIP group had 30 participants and significantly higher number of males (Χ 2 (1) = 4.929, p = 0.03). Significantly lower performances in overall cognitive functioning and memory functioning were seenin the GMIP group. As expected, the GMIP group had increased mean scores across on all MMPI-2-RF higher order scales and majority of Specific Problem Scales, however only Substance Abuse Scale showed a statistically significant difference (t(76) = −1.96, p = 0.05). Conclusions Those with severe memory impairment showed a non-significant tendency to obtain higher scoreson most indices of psychopathology and a significantly higher elevation concerning substance abuseproblems. Those with severe memory decline may have increased risk for substance abuse problemsthat can be associated with reduced treatment effectiveness and provoke seizures due to either acuteneurotoxicity or withdrawal. Additional studies with larger samples are needed to characterizesubstance abuse problems in epilepsy patients with severe memory decline.