Does epilepsy interfere with learning?

Cognitive impairments that affect language, memory, attention, and other abilities critical to normal development are common among people with epilepsy. As many as half of those with the disorder experience learning problems, ranging from mild difficulties to severe dysfunction.

Does epilepsy medication affect memory?

Memory problems can sometimes happen due to the side effects of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Drowsiness or concentration problems can affect your short-term memory, and may make it more difficult to learn and store new information.

Can epilepsy cause learning delays?

Children with epilepsy are at risk for having attention problems, learning disabilities, and other cognitive weaknesses, such as difficulty with memory or problem-solving skills. Often, seizures and cognitive difficulties can be caused by the same underlying problem in the brain.

Can epilepsy medication cause Behaviour problems?

Side Effects of Anticonvulsant Medications Anticonvulsant medications aim to inhibit excessive electrical activity in the brain. This curbs the abnormal surges characteristic of seizures. However, this effect may also alter behavioral and cognitive function.

Does epilepsy affect cognition?

Neurocognitive impairment is frequent in epilepsy patients. Causes are multiple, and may be influenced by several factors including the epilepsy syndrome. Most cognitive complaints in adult patients are mental slowness, memory difficulties and attention deficits.

Does epilepsy cause dementia?

People with epilepsy develop Alzheimer’s disease at a rate 6 times higher than the non-epileptic population, and seizures can damage the memory centers of the brain and contribute to dementia.

Does epilepsy affect fine motor skills?

Some young people with epilepsy may experience motor difficulties, including issues with fine motor skills, gross motor skills and coordination. Gross motor skills relate to the larger muscles that are used for actions like walking and jumping or throwing and kicking balls.

Is epilepsy an intellectual disability?

Most people with epilepsy do not have intellectual disabilities, but a substantial minority of people with intellectual disabilities have epilepsy. Epilepsy is known to be a potentially disabling, chronic and socially isolating condition. A diagnosis of Epilepsy even now still carries a stigma.

Does epilepsy change your personality?

When epilepsy affects you for long periods, you may notice changes in your behavior, your feelings, and in how you see the world. Feelings of depression or anxiety are especially common. A few people with epilepsy experience psychosis (losing contact with reality).

Can epilepsy medication change your personality?

Mood problems as a side effect of medication Possible side effects of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDS) include mood changes, irritability, agitation or depression. However, with some people AEDs can improve their mood. The risk of you having a side effect may be lower than you think.

How does epilepsy affect a person intellectually?

Epilepsy and Cognitive Disorders The most frequent cognitive complaints in adults are feeling slowed down mentally, memory impairment, and attention problems. Memory problems are an important feature of seizures arising from one part of the brain called the temporal lobe. Short-term memory problems are seen most often.

How does epilepsy affect you emotionally?

Many people who have epilepsy experience dysphoric episodes. These episodes, which can last between a few hours and a few days, consist of depressive moods, irritability, lack of energy, pain, anxiety, insomnia, and euphoric moods.

How do epilepsy seizures affect learning?

Frequent and uncontrolled seizures impair learning new information due to the amount of time that the individual is unaware of the environment. Night-time seizures can disrupt the consolidation of memory and affect language functions. Cognitive impairments can also be a side effect of the various anticonvulsant medications used to treat epilepsy.

Do antiepileptic medications affect cognition?

antiepileptic medications have the potential to have the detrimental side- effect of slowing cognition This is by nature of the medication: stopping brain “over-activity” like during a seizure The newer medications generally have less side effects than the older

Can epilepsy affect your memory?

Night-time seizures can disrupt the consolidation of memory and affect language functions. Cognitive impairments can also be a side effect of the various anticonvulsant medications used to treat epilepsy. Anticonvulsant medications have been associated with learning difficulty, behavior changes, and memory impairment.

Is there a link between epilepsy and cognitive problems?

Although cognitive problems are neither unique to epilepsy nor inevitable, a growing recognition of their prevalence has broadened the focus of epilepsy treatment and intervention. Approximately half of the children who have epilepsy will have some sort of learning difficulty. The most common difficulties would be attention, language and memory.