Why do people with epilepsy have more problems with memory than the general population?
Memory problems may be explained by the Quadruple Whammy Effect:
• Electrical activity in the brain during or in between seizures can disrupt thinking and memory.
• Memory can also be disrupted if the location of the seizure focus is near the “memory centers.”
• Medications can have side effects that disrupt thinking and memory.
• Depression and anxiety (relatively frequent in epilepsy) can further alter thinking and memory.