| 1. |
- Johanson, Mirja, et al.
(författare)
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Alterations in the contents of consciousness in partial epileptic seizures
- 2008
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier. - 1525-5050 .- 1525-5069. ; 13:2, s. 366-371
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Epilepsy research suffers from a deficiency of systematic studies concerning the phenomenology of the contents of consciousness during seizures, partially because of the lack of suitable research methods. The Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI), a standardized, valid, and reliable questionnaire, was used here to study which dimensions of the contents of consciousness are distorted during partial epileptic seizures compared with baseline. Further, the similarity of the altered pattern of subjective experiences across recurring seizures was also explored. Our results indicate that patients with epilepsy report alterations on most dimensions of the contents of consciousness in conjunction with seizures, but individual seizure experiences remain similar from one seizure to another. The PCI was found suitable for the assessment of subjective experiences during epileptic seizures and could be a valuable tool in providing new information about phenomenal consciousness in epilepsy in both the research and clinical settings.
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| 2. |
- Johanson, Mirja, et al.
(författare)
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Content analysis of subjective experiences in partial epileptic seizures
- 2008
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier. - 1525-5050 .- 1525-5069. ; 12:1, s. 170-182
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A new content analysis method for systematically describing the phenomenology of subjective experiences in connection with partial epileptic seizures is described. Forty patients provided 262 descriptions of subjective experience relative to their partial epileptic seizures. The results revealed that subjective experiences during seizures consist mostly of sensory and bodily sensations, hallucinatory experiences, and thinking. The majority of subjective experiences during seizures are bizarre and distorted; nevertheless, the patients are able to engage in adequate behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study for which detailed subjective seizure descriptions were collected immediately after each seizure and the first study in which the content of verbal reports of subjective experiences during seizures, including both the ictal and postictal experiences, has been analyzed in detail.
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| 3. |
- Landtblom, Anne-Marie, 1953-
(författare)
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The "sensed presence" : An epileptic aura with religious overtones
- 2006
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050 .- 1525-5069. ; 9:1, s. 186-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- "Sensed presence," a religious emotion, has been the focus of recent neurotheological research because it has been claimed that weak transcranial magnetic stimulation can evoke such experiences. Some researchers have recently questioned this claim. However, religion and epilepsy have been linked through history, clinical observations, and research. This article describes the "sensed presence" as an aura in one patient who did not interpret his experience in a religious way. He had bilateral hypoperfusion of the temporal lobes when investigated by SPECT, and hypoplasia of the dorsal part of the left hippocampus when examined by magnetic resonance imaging. This case report illustrates that "sensed presence" can occur as an epileptic aura with or without religious interpretation. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 4. |
- Lundgren, Tobias, et al.
(författare)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and yoga for drug-refractory epilepsy : A randomized controlled trial
- 2008
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050 .- 1525-5069. ; 13:1, s. 102-108
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. There is a need for controlled outcome studies on behavioral treatment of epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and yoga in the treatment of epilepsy. Methods. The design consisted of a randomized controlled trial with repeated measures (N = 18). All participants had an EEG-verified epilepsy diagnosis with drug-refractory seizures. Participants were randomized into one of two groups: ACT or yoga. Therapeutic effects were measured using seizure index (frequency x duration) and quality of life (Satisfaction with Life Scale, WHOQOL-BREF). The treatment protocols consisted of 12 hours of professional therapy distributed in two individual sessions, two group sessions during a 5-week period, and booster sessions at 6 and 12 months posttreatment. Seizure index was continuously assessed during the 3-month baseline and 12-month follow-up. Quality of life was measured after treatment and at the 6-month and 1-year follow-ups. Results. The results indicate that both ACT and yoga significantly reduce seizure index and increase quality of life over time. ACT reduced seizure index significantly more as compared with yoga. Participants in both the ACT and yoga groups improved their quality of life significantly as measured by one of two quality-of-life instruments. The ACT group increased their quality of life significantly as compared with the yoga group as measured by the WHOQOL-BREF, and the yoga group increased their quality of life significantly as compared with the ACT group as measured by the SWLS. Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that complementary treatments, such as ACT and yoga, decrease seizure index and increase quality of life.
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| 5. |
- Xu, Xiangping, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of the ketogenic diet on hippocampal GluR(5) and GluR(6) mRNA expression and Q/R site editing in the kainate-induced epilepsy model
- 2008
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050 .- 1525-5069. ; 13:3, s. 445-448
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Treatment with the ketogenic diet has been used to control refractory epilepsy for many years, although its anticonvulsant mechanism is unknown. By modulating synaptic transmission in the hippocampus, kainate receptors and their RNA editing might play a role in the antiseizure action of the treatment To. investigate the potential effect of the ketogenic diet on GluR(5) mRNA and GluR(5) mRNA expression and Q/R site editing, we used the kainate-induced epilepsy model in the present study. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine GluR(5) and GluR(6) mRNA expression, and RNA editing was analyzed with the Bbvl restriction enzyme assay. The results demonstrated that expression of GluR(6) mRNA, but not GluR(5) mRNA, was significantly increased after 8 weeks of dietary treatment. Neither the GluR(5) nor the GluR(6) RNA editing rate at the Q/R site was significantly changed by dietary treatment. These data indicate that GluR(6) may be involved in the anticonvulsant mechanism of ketogenic diet treatment. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 6. |
- Andersson-Roswall, Lena, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Verbal cognition and attention deficits do not explain the verbal memory decline associated with pharmacoresistant partial epilepsy
- 2007
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050. ; 11:3, s. 413-420
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to explore whether change in verbal memory with time in patients with epilepsy is influenced by performance on tasks assessing verbal cognition or attention/processing speed. Thirty-six patients and twenty-five healthy controls were tested twice with median retest intervals of 4.8 and 3.1 years, respectively. Aspects of verbal memory, verbal cognition, and attention/processing speed were assessed. Decline in one verbal memory variable (Cronholm–Molander Memory Test Paired Associates—Delayed Recall) was the strongest correlate of epilepsy. The second strongest correlate was a decrease in one attention/processing speed variable (Digit Symbol). The relationship between decline in verbal memory and epilepsy was not influenced by the decline in attention/processing speed, and the results did not support the notion that limited mental reserves as reflected in impaired verbal cognition or attention/processing speed can explain the relationship between verbal memory and epilepsy.
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| 7. |
- Danielsson, Susanna, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Lack of effects of vagus nerve stimulation on drug-resistant epilepsy in eight pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorders: a prospective 2-year follow-up study.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050. ; 12:2, s. 298-304
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been reported to reduce seizure frequency in some children with drug-resistant epilepsy who are not suitable candidates for epilepsy surgery. It has been suggested that there may be positive cognitive and/or behavioral effects independent of seizure control. We describe the effects of VNS with respect to seizure frequency, cognition, and autistic symptoms and behavior in eight children and adolescents with medically intractable epilepsy and autism. In comparison to baseline, seizure frequency had not decreased in anyone in our series at the 2-year follow-up. In three cases, minor improvements in general functioning were noted, but there were no positive cognitive effects. This open prospective pilot study highlights the need for more prospective studies to prevent false expectations of improvement in this severely disabled group.
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| 8. |
- Danielsson, Susanna, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Psychopathology, psychosocial functioning, and IQ before and after epilepsy surgery in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050. ; 14:2, s. 330-337
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is a prospective study of a consecutive series of children undergoing epilepsy surgery. The main aims were to evaluate the heterogeneity with respect to psychopathology and IQ, and to use a global assessment scale (Children's Global Assessment Scale [CGAS]) to evaluate psychosocial functioning. Clinical neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological assessments were made at baseline and at the 2-year follow-up in 24 patients, and changes were analyzed at an individual level. Psychiatric disorders (mainly attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and/or autism spectrum disorders) were found in 17 of 24 at some point. All except one child with psychiatric diagnoses before surgery still had at least one diagnosis at follow-up. Intellectual ability remained stable in the majority of cases, both in individuals with and in individuals without mental retardation. The CGAS illustrated the consequences of the extensive comorbidity in this cohort. The behavioral problems had been undiagnosed despite parental concern in many cases, indicating an unrecognized need for services for children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
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| 9. |
- Engman, Elisabeth, 1942, et al.
(författare)
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Serial cognitive change patterns across time after temporal lobe resection for epilepsy
- 2006
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Ingår i: Epilepsy Behav. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050. ; 8:4, s. 765-72
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Longitudinal cognitive outcome with respect to general cognitive status and memory at the group and individual levels was studied 10 years after temporal lobe resection for epilepsy. Twenty-five patients who had undergone a medium-term follow-up (T2, median = 2.7 years) also underwent a long-term follow-up (T3, median = 9.8 years). At the group level, there was a significant increment across time, partly due to practice, in IQ (P value from 0.049 to <0.0001) but not in memory variables. On the basis of the normative interval of reassessed matched controls, the analysis at the individual level of change from baseline to T2 disclosed decrements in 12-29% of the patients and increments in 8-21%. These proportions diminished at T3 (0-12 and 0-16%) and the dominating pattern of Performance IQ and verbal memory was a return toward baseline. These findings make the interpretation of an initial (T2) postoperative increment or decrement more problematic and underline the need for a comprehensive evaluation across time, including both at the group and individual levels.
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| 10. |
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