Comparative Neurocognitive Functions of Schizophrenics and temporal lobe epileptic Patients

Introduction: Shared neuropathology hypothesis in schizophrenia and temporal lobe epilepsy has been introduced long term ago. Similar neuropathology leads to the analogous clinical features like neuropsychological features as an example. The aim of this study was to examine this hypothesis by the means of comparing neuropsychological functions in these two patient groups.Method: Present study consisted of 28 DSM_IV_TR schizophrenics and 29 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy recruited from Roozbeh, Razi and khatamolanbia hospital in Tehran by convenient sampling method. SCID in schizophrenic group and EEG, MRI in epileptic patients were taken in regard to diagnostic determination. Neuropsychological tests were taken later. Package of neuropsychological tests consisted of Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color- Word Test, Logic Memory, Visual Reproduction and Digit Span subscales of Wechsler Memory Scale- Revised and Block Design, Vocabulary and Symbol Digit subscales of Wechsler Adult intelligence Scale- Revised.Result:  there was no significant difference in two groups of patients with respect to demographic and clinical (Age, Depression, premorbid function and duration) variables. Analysis of MANOVA was taken to compare two groups of patients in neuropsychological functions. The results revealed no significant differences between schizophrenics and temporal lobe epileptic patients except for Symbol Digit subscale that was significantly lower in schizophrenic group (p<0.05).Conclusion: the result of current study is consistent with shared neuropathology hypothesis in schizophrenia and temporal lobe epilepsy. Profile of neuropsychological functions in both groups was generalized and beyond temporal lobe. Keywords: schizophrenia, temporal lobe epilepsy, neuropsychological function

Joint modeling factors affecting interictal epileptiform discharge and seizure occurrence among epileptic patients

Introduction: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that may last a lifetime and will requireregular medical care. To examine the factors affecting the occurrence of seizures and interictalepileptiform discharge (IED) in epileptic patients with considering the correlation between them andalso because of the lack of similar studies in this field made the necessity of performing this research.Material and Methods: Data were recorded from 97 epileptic patients referred to Shafa NeuroscienceCenter between 2007 and 2010. Data analysis was performed using shared random effect model. Softwareused for data analysis was SAS 9.2, and significance level was regarded as 0.05.Results: Among the factors of gender, seizure type, war wounded and duration of epilepsy, only twofactors had jointly statistically significant effect; Duration of epilepsy on IED (p<.020) and war woundedon seizure occurrence (p<.002). Odds of Seizures occurred for wars wounded are approximately 11 timesmore than the odds of other patient. One year increasing on duration of epilepsy resulted in 2.5% increasein IED mean.Conclusion: Since there was a correlation between IED and seizure occurrence, analyzing these datawith joint model is proposed. War wounded and duration of epilepsy affected on seizure occurrence andIED, respectively. These covariates should be considered for epilepsy treatmen