Are there any tests that can be used to predict surgery outcome in baseline assessment? Thanks so much!
Previous epilepsy research has used Wechsler IQ tests. These have proved very useful for research into brain laterality, for example, and there is a vast old literature on these IQ tests. One interesting conclusion from all this is that removal of a lobe or hemisphere from an epileptic brain is the only intervention I know of, apart from breastfeeding, that can raise IQ. Don't take any notice of modern neuropsychologists who do not believe in IQ and use all sorts of less standardised and interpretable tests instead.
Prof Gordon, could you explain bit more on this concept ?
One interesting conclusion from all this is that removal of a lobe or hemisphere from an epileptic brain is the only intervention I know of, apart from breastfeeding, that can raise IQ.
"could you explain bit more on this concept ?"
Actually, I realise it is misleading to say breastfeeding boosts IQ, since breastfeeding is the natural option, the default position. It is more accurate and to the point to say that failure to breastfeed depresses mean IQ. See eg Dev Med Child Neurol 2014;56:148.
On the other hand, there are several studies showing that surgical removal of diseased lobe(s) does in fact raise IQ, probably by stopping harmful epileptic activity.
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