Diagnostic Challenges in the Neuropsychology of Epilepsy: Report of the <scp>ILAE</scp> Neuropsychology Task Force Diagnostic Methods Commission: 2021–2025
Increasingly, it has been recognized that non-seizure-related factors influence how people with epilepsy perform on neuropsychological tests. Therefore, neuropsychologists need to recognize the constellation of factors that can contribute to the neurocognitive presentation of a person with epilepsy and consider these factors in the interpretation of their assessment results. In this paper, we highlight common scenarios prompting the need to account for such factors when conducting and interpreting neuropsychological assessments. To illustrate these complexities, a case study is presented of a woman with early onset epilepsy complicated by a traumatic brain injury in adulthood who was a candidate for epilepsy surgery. A discussion of the need to consider neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and psychosocial factors in conducting an assessment and arriving at a sound interpretation of results is presented. Clinical take-away points are offered for guidance in undertaking such assessments.
Authors
- Mayu Fujikawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4044-918X)
- Genevieve Rayner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0747-3877)
- Sarah J. Wilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2678-1576)
- Victoria Lyn Ives-Deliperi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2640-249X)
- Bruce P. Hermann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-4427)
- Seth A. Margolis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3863-4127)
- Mary Lou Smith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1937-1026)
- Gus A. Baker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5736-605X)
- Urvashi Shah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9139-6471)
- Robyn M. Busch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5442-4912)
- Sallie Baxendale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9930-6469)
- Carrie R. McDonald (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0721-5640)
- Aimee Dollman
Institutions
- Cleveland Clinic (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Tohoku University (JP)
- Brown University (US)
- Hospital for Sick Children (CA)
- The Alfred Hospital (AU)
- Epilepsy Research UK (GB)
- University of California San Diego (US)
- Mental Health Australia (AU)
- SickKids Foundation (CA)
- King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre (IN)
- The Neurological Institute (US)
- University College London (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Epileptic Disorders
- Published
- 2025-06-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/epd2.70052
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Epilepsy research and treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.94