Learning and Cognitive Functioning – Learning Through Storms

Download our resource discussing learning, cognition and memory with epilepsy.

This PDF includes information about the brain’s anatomy linking to epilepsy and seizures, anti-epileptic drugs (AED’s), diet, surgery, and different learning strategies to promote recall of information.

This resource includes information about the following topics (and more):

The cause of Epilepsy – There are different causes for epilepsy, and with each different   cause comes a difference in learning impairment. These causes can be Symptomatic, cryptogenic or Idiopathic.

The areas of the brain affected by seizures:

The left and right temporal lobe – involved with verbal memory, visual memory, facial recognition, odour recognition, behaviour and personality

The frontal lobe – Involved with planning and organisation, attention and concentration, concept formation, decision-making, inhibition, anticipatory behaviour, formation of concepts, motor coordination, speech production and perseveration (the inability to switch from one line of thinking to another)

Seizure Frequency, Severity and Duration – Each patient has a unique frequency, severity and duration of seizures, and often react to their seizures differently. This means that patients will have unique memory impairment.

Learning Strategies – Different strategies can be implemented to improve memory skills, such as:

Visual Demonstrations and Diagrams

Word associations with pictures or smells

Verbal repetition

Rhymes and songs

Learning to stay calm when memory blanks

Stress management – Stress management may help patients of any age. Seizures are often caused by stress (which learning can trigger), therefore learning how to control stress with relaxation techniques such as listening to music or exercise can reduce seizure frequency, and ultimately improving memory abilities.