Cognition and obesity in adults with epilepsy.

Abstract

Objective: to assess the occurrence of overweight/obesity in patient with epilepsy (PWEs) and to relate it to cognitive aspects and clinical variables. Methodology: the measurements of waist circumference, calf circumference, arm circumference, and the body mass index were related to the scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Brief Cognitive Battery-Edu, as well as to the clinical variables of 164 PWEs, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Data were compared to a similar control group (CG) comprising 71 cases. Linear and multiple logistic regression models were used to assess factors related to cognitive aspects. Results: the mean age of the PWEs was 49.8 ± 16.6 years with a mean length of epilepsy of 22 ± 15.9 years. Overweight/obesity occurred in 106 (64.6 %) PWEs and in 42 (59.1 %) CG subjects. The PWEs had a worse performance in several cognitive functions when compared to CG subjects. In the PWEs, overweight/obesity was associated with lower educational level, older age, and cognitive impairment. Greater waist circumference, overweight, age at the first seizure, and use of polytherapy with antiseizure medications were predictive factors of memory impairment in multiple linear regression. Greater arm and calf circumference values were associated with better performance in several cognitive areas. Conclusion: the occurrence of overweight/obesity in PWEs and CG subjects was high. Cognitive impairment occurred in a high number of PWEs and was associated with overweight, greater waist circumference values, and clinical aspects of epilepsy. Better cognitive performance was associated with greater arm and calf circumference.