Long-Term Neuropsychological Outcomes Following Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery: An Update of the Literature

Abstract

We present an update of the literature concerning long-term neuropsychological outcomes following surgery for refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A thorough search was conducted through the PubMed and Medline electronic databases for studies investigating neuropsychological function in adult patients undergoing resective TLE surgery and followed for a mean/median > five years period. Two independent reviewers screened citations for eligibility and assessed relevant studies for the risk of bias. We found eleven studies fulfilling the above requirements. Cognitive function remained stable through long-term follow up despite immediate post-surgery decline; a negative relation between seizure control and memory impairment has emerged and a possible role of more selective surgery procedures is highlighted.