Influence of personality profile in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy on quality of life following surgical treatment: A 1-year follow-up study.

The objectives of this study are to determine the influence of personality profile in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy on quality of life (QoL) after surgical treatment and compare the results with a non-surgical control group at the 1-year follow-up. We conducted a prospective, comparative, controlled study, including 70 patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy. Demographic, psychiatric, neurological, and psychological data were recorded at the baseline and at the 1-year follow-up. Assessment of personality dimensions was performed using the NEO-FFI-R questionnaire; severity of anxiety and depression were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and QoL was evaluated using the QOLIE-31. At the 1-year follow-up, comparing the control and the surgical groups, we detected differences in scores of most items of QoL, which were higher in those patients who had undergone surgery. High levels of Conscientiousness and Openness to experience at the baseline in patients who underwent surgery predicted better post-surgical outcomes in the QoL scores, whereas high neurotic patients showed worse QoL results. Postoperative changes in QoL in patients were associated with the personality profile at the baseline. QoL measures significantly improved in the surgical group compared with the non-surgical group but were not associated with baseline or postoperative seizure frequency at 1 year.

Personality changes in patients with refractory epilepsy after surgical treatment: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: We aimed to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the personality changes in adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy following surgical treatment. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) statement. We searched PubMed, Medline databases, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, with search terms 'personality', 'epilepsy', and 'surgery'. RESULTS: Eleven studies were selected. In 7 out of 11 studies, personality changes were more adaptive, with patients experiencing decreased neuroticism, impulsivity, hypochondriasis, psychasthenia. One study showed increased emotional lability. The remainder of the studies showed no changes in personality dimensions. Changes in personality differed according to the localization of the epileptogenic area, depended on seizure status after treatment and duration of follow-up. Seizure freedom as an outcome of surgical treatment influenced the existence of personality changes, and their severity. Adaptive personality changes could be seen from early follow-up assessments even in patients who were not seizure-free, though further follow-ups showed that improvements after 1-2 years were specific to seizure-free patients. LIMITATIONS: The main limitation of our research is the heterogeneity of approaches used to evaluate personality in the included studies. Furthermore, the included studies also had different sample sizes and comparison groups, different designs, and different follow-up durations. We only included studies that were written in English. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of studies reported changes in personality dimensions in patients suffering from refractory epilepsy.

Personality changes in patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy after surgical treatment: a 1-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in dimensions of personality in a sample of patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy at the 1-year follow-up following surgery, compared to non-surgically treated controls. METHODS: We conducted a prospective comparative controlled study, including drug-resistant epilepsy surgery candidates. Demographic, psychiatric, neurological, and psychological data were recorded. Presurgical and 12-months follow-up evaluations were performed. Personality dimensions were measured by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, Revised version (NEO-FFI-R), anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS: HADA-Anxiety and HADD-Depression), psychiatric evaluations were performed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) Axis-I disorders classification. Statistical analysis consisted of comparative tests, correlation analysis, and the stepwise multiple regression test (ANOVA). RESULTS: A 1-year follow-up was completed by 70 out of 80 patients. Through the study, the surgical group decreased in neuroticism and increased in agreeableness. The controls increased in consciousness, and these changes were predicted by the earlier age of epilepsy onset and lesser score in HADD at the baseline. No personality changes were associated with seizure frequency. The presurgical evaluation concluded that both groups had no differences in demographic, psychiatric, or neurological variables with the only exception being for the number of seizures per month, which was higher in the surgical group. Psychiatric comorbidity in patients was associated with their higher degree of neuroticism and agreeableness at the baseline. Comparing control and surgical groups at the one-year follow-up, the agreeableness personality variable was higher in the surgical group, and as expected, HADS scores were higher in the control group, and seizure frequency was also higher in the control group. SIGNIFICANCE: Higher agreeableness was the most relevant difference in personality dimensions in patients who underwent surgical treatment compared with the non-surgical treatment group. After surgery patients decreased in neuroticism and increased in agreeableness scores.