Priority 3 from the Epilepsy (Canada) PSP

UNCERTAINTY: What are the long-term impacts of seizures on a person's brain, and overall health and development? (JLA PSP Priority 3)
Overall ranking 3
JLA question ID 0110/3
Explanatory note The direct effects of seizures on brain cells is an ongoing area of research. It is unclear if and how repeated seizures change the structure and function of the brain over time, and if such changes can be reversed if seizure control is achieved. An important question is how recurrent seizures affect cognition and mental health, and if seizure activity increases the risk of developing other conditions, such as depression or attention deficit disorders. This is also critical for understanding how seizures affect learning, memory and development, particularly when epilepsy is diagnosed in infancy or childhood. The long-term effects of seizures can be difficult to study since both seizures and cognitive changes may be due to an underlying condition. In addition, epilepsy treatments such as anti-seizure drugs can also have long-term health effects, making it difficult to study these factors independently.  
Evidence

Epilepsy: a public health imperative. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. 
Health Research Classification System category Neurological 
Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples What is the longterm impact of absence seizures on my son? ~ Epileptogenesis in children and how it affects their development. I think we have studied a lot epileptic encephalopthies however focal onset structural epilepsies in children have not been well studied by our group ~ Can epilepsy create limitations or deterioration to certain levels of my health?
Submitted by People with Seizures x 6, Caregivers x 3, Friend or Family Member x 3, Health Care provider x 3, Community Agency Representative x 1, Other x 1
PSP information
PSP unique ID 0110
PSP name Epilepsy (Canada)
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP. 96  (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 6th & 7th April 2021