Abstract
Objective
Individuals with epilepsy often have memory difficulties, and older adults with epilepsy are especially vulnerable, due to the additive effect of aging. The goal of this study was to assess factors that are associated with 24-hour memory retention in older adults with epilepsy.
Methods
55 adults with epilepsy, all over age 50, performed a declarative memory task involving the recall of the positions of 15 card pairs on a computer screen prior to a 24-hour ambulatory EEG. We assessed the percentage of encoded card pairs that were correctly recalled after 24 hours (24-hour retention rate). EEGs were evaluated for the presence and frequency of scalp interictal epileptiform activity (IEA) and scored for total sleep. Global slow wave activity (SWA) power during non-REM sleep was also calculated.
Results
44 participants successfully completed the memory task. Two were subsequently excluded due to seizures on EEG. The final cohort (n=42) had a mean age of 64.3 ± 7.5 years, was 52% female, and had an average 24-hour retention rate of 70.9% ± 30.2%. Predictors of 24-hour retention based on multivariate regression analysis when controlling for age, sex, and education included: number of antiseizure medications (β =-0.20, p=0.013), IEA frequency (β =-0.08, p=0.0094), and SWA power (β =+0.002, p=0.02).
Significance
In older adults with epilepsy, greater frequency of IEA, reduced SWA power, and higher burden of antiseizure medications correlated with worse 24-hour memory retention. These factors represent potential treatment targets to improve memory in older adults with epilepsy.
JUL