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Neuropsychological function in patients with a single gene mutation associated with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy

journal contribution
posted on 2010-04-01, 00:00 authored by Amanda WoodAmanda Wood, M M Saling, M Fedi, S F Berkovic, I E Scheffer, C Benjamin, D C Reutens
Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) is a nonlesional condition associated with mutation of the gene coding for the α4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). The nAChR modulates aspects of memory and attention. We examined the neuropsychological phenotype of ADNFLE, with a particular emphasis on understanding the impact on frontal lobe functions. We used standard clinical tests as well as focused measures of frontal lobe function in a well-defined group of patients with ADNFLE. Their performance was compared with that of a group of age-, sex-, and education-matched control participants. Patients with ADNFLE showed impairments on tasks requiring cognitive flexibility against a background of well-preserved intellectual abilities. In accord with existing research, verbal memory impairments were identified in the patient group; the level of impairment on these tasks correlated with disease-related factors. In our study of ADNFLE associated with one mutation, cognitive flexibility appears to be the core cognitive deficit.

History

Journal

Epilepsy and behavior

Volume

17

Issue

4

Pagination

531 - 535

Publisher

Elsevier

Location

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ISSN

1525-5050

eISSN

1525-5069

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2010, Elsevier