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Memory & Epilepsy

Memory is the ability to retain and retrieve knowledge and information. Epilepsy, often referred to as a seizure disorder, is a condition of the central nervous system. Misfires in the brain cause epileptic seizures. This abnormal brain activity interferes with many physiological activities, such as memory. There are several reasons why epilepsy sufferers have problems with memory.

  1. Epileptic Amnesia

    • Epileptic seizures, especially ones that start in the temporal lobe, affect the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that helps regulate memory. If the seizures are not treated, the hippocampus will harden and shrink. If this happens, any information that the brain stores will be disorganized and difficult to retrieve. There are several types of epileptic amnesia. One is anterograde amnesia, where the person cannot retain new information. There is also ictal amnesia, where the person can hold a conversation and act normally but have no recollection of having done so.

    Brain Structure and Seizures

    • Epilepsy patients who experience seizures that start in one area of the brain often have problems with memory. The seizures affect the part of the brain in charge of a certain function, such as memory. The temporal lobe of the brain is where memory is stored. If a seizure repeatedly occurs in that lobe, then memory is reduced or affected. If tissue damage occurs on the left side of the brain, the person may suffer loss of verbal memory. If tissue damage occurs on the right side, the person would have problems with their visual memory.

    Loss of Consciousness

    • When someone loses consciousness, normal brain activity is disrupted for a period of time. Some epileptics lose consciousness during a seizure, which adversely affects the temporal lobe. When an epileptic regains consciousness, they sometimes experience confusion. This confusion also inhibits memory. However, this type of memory loss is usually temporary.

    Brain Tumor, Injury and Lesions

    • Epileptics often experience seizures from a brain tumor or lesions. If the brain tumor or lesion is located in the temporal lobe area, the chances are excellent that memory will be affected. Someone who suffers a traumatic head injury may experience seizures. This type of seizure also causes memory problems, depending on where the injury is located.

    Epilepsy Medications and Memory

    • Anti-seizure medications, such as Dilantin, have the potential to affect memory. The medications serve to slow the brain down, preventing it from processing information properly. If the information is not processed properly, then the patient may not be able to retrieve it.

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