NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS IN EPILEPSY PATIENTS

Authors

  • Sana Masood
  • Rafia Rafique

Abstract

Background: Neuropsychological impairment can be associated with epilepsy and its different types.The present study investigated gender differences in neuropsychological functions in epileptic patients.It was hypothesized that neuropsychological functioning will be different in male as compared tofemale epileptic patients. It was also hypothesized that there are significant gender differences amongmale and female epileptic patients in depression, somatic complaints, memory, communication,aggression and motor impairment. In addition it was hypothesized that neuropsychological functioningamong patients diagnosed with different types of epilepsy; grand mal, petit mal, complex partial andgeneralized tonic clonic will be different. Method: A sample of 60 patients was recruited from differenthospitals situated in the city of Lahore through purposive sampling technique. To assessneuropsychological functions, Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory (NFI) was used. NFI wastranslated and back translated through the process of validation and final version of the scale in Urduwas obtained for use in the study. ANOVA and Student’s t-test were employed to infer the proposedhypotheses. Result: There is significant difference in neuropsychological functioning between maleand female epileptic patients on only somatic complaints. Females were found to reveal greater somaticcomplaints compared to their male counterparts. There are significant differences in neuropsychologicalfunctioning among patients diagnosed with different types of epilepsy. Conclusions: The study laysground for future research and holds implications for the implementation of gender basedneuropsychological interventions.Keywords: Neurobehavioral functioning inventory (NFI), grandmal, petit mal, tonic clonic seizure

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Published

2012-06-01

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 2 (2012): JOURNAL OF AYUB MEDICAL COLLEGE, ABBOTTABAD

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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