Abstracts

Language shapes all aspects of human interaction. The assessment of written language may provide a unique insight into the functioning of the human mind and brain., 60 subjects were recruited from a Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. The group consisted of 39 females and 21 males. Subjects were placed into the following four categories: non-epileptic events (NEE); seizures (Sz); partial seizures (PartSz); complex partial seizures with temporal focus (CPS-TF). Each subject was given a simple writing task to complete. The essays were scored using four unique scales: Subject [ndash] whether the writing concentrated upon physical or emotional aspects of the seizures. Focus [ndash] how much of the essay was on task. Ratio [ndash] a measure of detail. Word [ndash] total word count., Patients with nonepileptic events (NEE) tended to write essays containing both physical and emotional components (p=0.058), while those with partial seizures (PartSz) did not (p=0.006). Essays concentrating upon emotional aspects, increased the likelihood of a partial seizure diagnosis being made (p=0.059). The variance of Ratio was higher in the non-NEE group than in the NEE group (p = 0.0003), while for the PartSz group, the variance of Ratio was higher than in the non-PartSz group (p = 0.000008)., The results of the present study have revealed a relationship between the differences of writing content in those with NEE and those with seizures, especially partial onset seizures. The findings with regard to the variable [ldquo]Subject[rdquo] not only give insight into the mind of these patients, but provide the preliminary basis for the development of a diagnostic tool utilizing a simple writing task. With further refinement and validation such a task may one day become an aid to replacing costly video-EEG studies in select patients. The findings with respect to [ldquo]Ratio[rdquo] may also eventually play a role in this later purpose, but yield a different sort of information. The significant difference in variance between groups may be due to the greater degree of structural brain damage likely to be found in patients with partial seizures compared to those with primarily generalized epilepsy or NEE., (Supported by Office of Community and Patient Relations and the Department of Neurology at Stanford University Medical Center and through the generous and kind assistance of Ms. Jeanne Kennedy. Armin Schwartzman was supported by a William R. and Sara Hart Kimball Stanford Graduate Fellowship.)