Neuropsychology of Epilepsy and Epilepsy Surgery

This book provides essential information about the variety of seizure disorders to serve as a basic epilepsy reference guide for students and practicing clinical neuropsychologists. In addition to epilepsy neuropsychological assessment issues, the book provides an overview of the known cognitive effects of seizures as well as the adaptive, emotional, and psychiatric consequences of epilepsy including a chapter on psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Diagnostic tests, such as EEG and structural neuroimaging, are described and the leading treatment options are detailed with a chapter on pharmacologic therapies which reviews the known cognitive and behaivoral side effects of specific antiepileptic drugs. Many of the more rare epilepsy disorders have been included in the appendices for quick and easy reference.

The book also details the role of neuropsychology within the epilepsy surgery process including pre/post surgery cognitive evaluations, cortical stimulation mapping, functional neuroimaging, and intracarotid amobarbital (Wada) procedures and reviews the major surgical treatment options used in the intractable epilepsies. Case examples are dispersed throughout the text with neuropsychological results as heuristic aids. The book ends with a glossary of epilepsy terms that may be used as a dictionary for the more experienced clinician or as a tool to assist students and residents in learning.