The dos and don'ts of neuropsychological assessment in epilepsy

Neuropsychologists have a significant role in the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with epilepsy. This includes providing an assessment of an individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses with respect to being a candidate for the surgery program, detailing intellectual and memory impairments as part of a rehabilitation service, and documenting specific antiepileptic drug effects as part of routine clinical management. Each of these specific roles requires careful consideration with respect to the potential pitfalls they can present to the neuropsychologist. In this article, we have attempted to identify the most obvious "dos and don'ts" in the neuropsychological assessment of people with epilepsy. These range from issues relating to the reliance of measures, to the failure to document patients' backgrounds, to the importance of considering the psychometric tests that we use. We have attempted to emphasize the importance or value of a well-conducted neuropsychological assessment to the management of the person with epilepsy.