Executive functions in patients with frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy

Objective To investigate the executive functions of the frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy patients. Methods Fifty-five epilepsy patients (twenty-five frontal lobe epilepsy patients and thirty temporal lobe epilepsy patients) and fifty age, gender and education matched healthy controls were evaluated by means of Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE ). Executive function was assessed using Stroop color words test and trail making test. Results MMSE total score of frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy patients were (26.02±0.30) and (25.82±0.67), respectively. There was significant abnormality between epilepsy patients and the controls (P<0.05). Compared with normal control group, FLP group and TLP group took longer time and their score was lower in stroop color words test (P<0.05). There were significant difference between FLP and TLP on card B and C′s reading time, correct number and stroop interference effects (P<0.05). The epilepsy patients performed significantly worse than the controls in whole trail making test (P<0.05). The scores indicate that the TLE group outperformed the FLE group on all analysis values (P<0.05). Conclusion The frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy patients have executive function deficit. The FLE group has prominent deficits in executive functioning. Key words: Frontal lobe epilepsy; Temporal lobe epilepsy; Executive functions