Lateralization of epileptic foci by neuropsychological testing in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Neuropsychology. 2004 Jan;18(1):141-51. doi: 10.1037/0894-4105.18.1.141.

Abstract

This study investigated the lateralizing value of neuropsychological testing in presurgical evaluation of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). This study differed from previous ones in that the cutoff values were determined to yield high positive predictive values (PPVs), multiple neuropsychological predictors were considered in combination, and patients with atypical language dominance or low intelligence were not excluded from the sample. The participants were 92 patients with MTLE (left, n = 47; right, n = 45) who showed good postoperative seizure control. With a stringent cutoff criterion, the multiple neuropsychological predictors considered in combination yielded a sensitivity of 15% and a PPV of 93%, and with a less stringent cutoff criterion, a sensitivity of 37% and a PPV of 83%.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Demography
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / classification
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / complications
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / physiopathology*
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / surgery
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability / etiology
  • Intellectual Disability / physiopathology
  • Intelligence
  • Intelligence Tests
  • Language Disorders / etiology
  • Language Disorders / physiopathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Memory
  • Neuropsychological Tests*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Psychosurgery
  • Sensitivity and Specificity