Cognitive disorders in epilepsy II: Clinical targets, indications and selection of test instruments.

ABSTRACT

This is the second of two narrative reviews on cognitive disorders in epilepsy (companion manuscript Cognitive disorders in epilepsy I Clinical experience, real-world evidence and recommendations). Its focus is on the clinical targets, indications, and the selection of neuropsychological test instruments. Cognitive assessment has become an essential tool for the diagnosis and outcome control in the clinical management of epilepsy. The diagnostics of basic and higher brain functions can provide valuable information on lateralized and localized brain dysfunctions associated with epilepsy, its underlying pathologies and treatment. In addition to the detection or verification of deficits, neuropsychology reveals the patient's cognitive strengths and, thus, information about the patient reserve capacities for functional restitution and compensation. Neuropsychology is an integral part of diagnostic evaluations mainly in the context of epilepsy surgery to avoid new or additional damage to preexisting neurocognitive impairments. In addition and increasingly, neuropsychology is being used as a tool for monitoring of the disease and its underlying pathologies, and it is suited for the quality and outcome control of pharmacological or other non-invasive medical intervention. This narrative review summarizes the present state of neuropsychological assessments in epilepsy, reveals diagnostic gaps, and shows the great need for education, homogenization, translation and standardization of instruments.