Cognitive phenotypes and sociodemographic characteristic in patients with drug-resistance epilepsies who are candidates for surgical treatment

Introduction: Currently, different findings on the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on cognition in patients with drug-resistant epilepsies (DREs) are identified, making this topic the focus of debate in the scientific community. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between cognitive phenotypes and sociodemographic characteristics in patients with DREs who are candidates for surgical treatment. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional, correlational, retrospective study that included 40 persons: 25 patients with DREs (9 frontal and 16 temporal) and 15 controls. Phenotypes were classified: F1 (no alterations), F2 (alterations in specific domains), F3 (generalized alterations). Descriptive statistics were used and the relationship between cognitive phenotypes and sociodemographic variables was established by means of the chi-square test and Cramer's V coefficient, with a statistical significance level of 5%. Results: Patients with frontal DREs belonged to the F3 phenotype, temporal patients to the F2 phenotype, and the control group to the F1 phenotype. The proportions of the variables age, sex and schooling did not show statistically significant differences. A statistically significant association was obtained between the proportions of phenotypes by occupational occupation, F(2)=10.07, p=0.006. Conclusions: It is found that being occupationally occupied constitutes a protective factor for cognitive functioning in patients with DREs who are candidates for surgical treatment. It is recommended to develop longitudinal studies at different levels of health care, to explore how job disengagement affects long-term cognitive performance and even brain plasticity in these patients.