Question
A child has been suffering from epilepsy since childhood and is currently undergoing treatment with antiepileptic medications, experiencing occasional spasms in their limbs. Observing that the child’s learning abilities seem to be below those of their peers, the parents wonder: Does epilepsy affect intelligence?
Answer
Epileptic seizures can indeed have an impact on intelligence. During seizures, neurons in the cerebral cortex may be damaged, and the health of cerebral cortex cells is directly related to intellectual level. Clinical observations show that among patients with epilepsy experiencing more than one seizure per day, approximately 67.5% have intellectual impairment; among those with 1 to 20 seizures per month, about 54.1% have intellectual impairment. Therefore, the impact of epilepsy on intelligence is a matter of concern.