A comparative study of neuropsychological functioning in epileptic and non-epileptic persons

Pages: 971-973
Richa Singh (Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
J. Mahto and Deapti Mishra (Department of Clinical Psychology, Postgraduate Institute
of Behavioural & Medical Sciences, Manopchar, Raipur)

To see the attention and concentration, intellectual functioning and visuo-spatial functioning of the patient with epilepsy as compared to normal epileptic group. Epilepsy is one of the most commonly encountered organic illnesses in psychiatric set-up. It is the second most common chronic neurological condition seen by neurologists. It is estimated that there are 55, 00,000 persons with epilepsy in India (Shridharan, 2002). Epilepsy is a name of the brain disorder characterized by predominantly by recurrent and unpredictable interruptions of normal brain function called epileptic seizures. The effects of epilepsy are felt in multiple aspects of the person’s life, including physical and mental health, cognitive function, educational achievements, vocational prospects, and family and peer relations (Jalava, 1997).Cognition, which includes processes such as intelligent thinking, perceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, expressing, and understanding, has an important role in the inception, evolution, and manifestation of many of these other aspects of function recognized to be compromised in people with epilepsy. To examine these cognitive disturbances and other severity, psychological tests can be regarded as an important instrument.