Neurocognitive and behavioral functioning in frontal lobe epilepsy: a review

Abstract

Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is a seizure disorder with a lower prevalence than temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Despite its consequences on cognitive and emotional well-being, the neuropsychology of FLE has not been well studied. By contrast, TLE has been studied meticulously, leading to a relevant understanding of memory and the functional characteristics of the temporal and limbic circuits. The neuropsychological studies on FLE report deficits in motor coordination and planning, reduced attention span, and difficulties in response inhibition in complex cognitive tasks. This review aims to illustrate the most relevant neurocognitive dimensions, psychiatric comorbidity, and postoperative neuropsychological outcome of FLE. Methodological suggestions for future research are also included by critically reviewing the existing literature.