Mental disorders and cerebral sensomotor asymmetry in patients with epilepsy

A neurological, psychiatric and instrumental (electroencephalography, computer tomography etc) study of 84 patients was aimed at assessing an effect of sensomotor asymmetry profile and side of the epileptic focus on semiotics of seizures and psychopathological presentations in partial epilepsy. A data analysis included 111 variables, i.e. psychometric and neuropsychological ones. Groups of patients with left and right profiles of functional interhemispheric asymmetry (LHA and RHA) were singled out. No between-group differences were found in severity of mental disturbances. However, cognitive functions were mostly affected in RHA and psychopathological phenomenon emerged mostly in LPA. The formation of multiple epileptic foci with the involvement of frontal and temporary lobes was the best predictor of mental disorders manifestation compared to age at disease onset, illness duration, frequency and severity of seizures.