Is
Memory Affected by Epilepsy?
The short answer is yes. Epilepsy
can have various effects on memory functioning for various reasons.
The portion of the brain where memory is stored, the temporal lobe,
can be disturbed by epileptic seizures. In fact, memory problems
are one of the most reported problems that coincide with epilepsy.
Some of the ways that memory is altered by epilepsy are:
- The normal processes that the brain goes
through in storing memory may be disrupted during an epileptic
seizure, resulting in a loss of the memories associated within
the affected portion of the brain.
- Loss of consciousness that occurs along
with seizures can result in a loss of memory – usually
the memory loss is of the time immediately prior to the seizure;
however, there have been exceptions to this.
- Medications that are prescribed for epilepsy
may affect memory as well. You should inform your healthcare
provider if you are suffering any memory loss that you feel
may be as a result of the medication you are taking.
If you have epilepsy and you feel that you
are suffering from a significant amount of memory loss, then you
should voice your concerns to your healthcare provider in order
to ensure there aren’t underlying issues that may be causing
the problems. Coping with epilepsy is a daily battle, and adding
memory loss to that struggle can make it much more difficult to
handle. You can use memory aids and brain exercises to try sharpen
your mental agility, such as crossword puzzles, to help enhance
your memory capabilities.
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