Any experience with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and MCI?

Hi @rloc, Good Morning
Temporal Lobe seizures can cause mild cognitive impairment, unfortunately. I do have temporal lobe epilepsy and am going through this. I did a neuro evaluation with a neuropsychologist that showed a decrease not only in my cognitive functions but also in my executive ones. Has your wife gone through this exam? Perhaps it would be interesting to do it. The pet scan I did almost at the same time came out normal.
As to the family history of your wife for dementia. Was the pet scan your wife did specifically to identify beta-amyloids? My mother has Alzeimer's, which is mostly caused by the increase of beta-amyloids. As far as I know, this specific pet scan is the only one that identifies that, being able to identify this disease in its first stage when symptoms are not yet very evident.
The cognitive impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy is much lighter and not comparable to Alzheimer's. What I have observed in my daily life is that my recent memory is not as strong as it once was, having to write down many things so as not to forget them. But, I still can have a normal life, after learning how to live with it. As to my mother who has Alzheimer's, the pieces of evidence are stronger (she is now in stage 3 of Alzheimer's). She for example asks me the same question during a conversation or can not remember some people she has not seen for a while, among other examples.
My best wishes to you and your mother.
Chris/Santosha

Hi Everybody,
Reading and replying to the post of @rloc, I thought that it would be perhaps interesting to share ways we have learned to face this decline in our cognitive function and how we cope with it in our daily life, just among us. What do you think of it?
Have all a nice day!
Chris/Santosha

Hi Chris and Santosha. Thank you so much for sharing your history and experiences. My wife has had neuropsychological testing which showed a decrease in cognitive functioning. Her PET was an FDG PET. I will definitely look into the Beta Amyloid PET as well. We are working on daily activities to help with brain functioning (playing piano, reading fiction, visualization, etc).
My wife is taking Lamictal for her epilepsy. Are you taking medication for the seizures? If so, do you notice improvement? Thank you again!

Thank you for this suggestion. Any ideas would be much appreciated. My wife was evaluated and diagnosed in OH and her neurologist gave us only a few suggestions for dealing with MCI. She has been working with a psychologist who has been very helpful. Every day she tries to do three things to help her cognitive functioning. Some of the activities include: physical exercise, meditation using an app called Headspace, reading fiction, playing piano, brain games (she just started an app called Inspire), volunteering, and visualization.
She suffers from depression and these activities help with that as well. Also, she keeps a daily journal of her feelings (positive and negative) each day. As I mentioned, we were not given many resources, so we would welcome any suggestions. Thank you!
rloc

@rloc Hi again!
Good to hear from you!
Answering your questions, yes I am taking medication for my epilepsy: CBD (from medical cannabis) for my seizures. Besides that I do also control them through a gluten-free diet (it has reduced around 60% of my seizures), hatha yoga and avoiding as much as I can my triggers (for that I had to learn and understand my triggers). I have tried Lamictal, but though it has stopped my seizures, it has affected too much my sleep that I was worse. I had to stop it and change it. Unfortunately, none of the 5 AEDs I have tried worked for me, either because they caused more seizures or I could not tolerate the side effects. I have refractory epilepsy. What I feel is that none of the medications I have tried have brought any improvements in my cognitive functions. What helps me is to continue to be active and study (I have started another graduation this year at 52 years of age). Great that your mum is playing the piano, I have heard this can help much. Great that she also does read!
Chris (Santosha)

Hi @rloc,
Thank you for your sharing!
I see that your mother's activities and mine are quite similar in many respects. I do also practice physical exercise (Pilates and walking), and hatha and nidra yoga. Those are more root yoga practices. Yoga practice and philosophy have helped me much to improve my sleep, and my humor as well as to deal with several issues of my epilepsy. There is another app that I like more than Headspace, called Insight Timer. They offer great practices of Yoga Nidra (it is a practice in which you just have to lie down and listen). I take my mother to hatha yoga every week (she is 82 years old), she leaves the practice in such a calmer state and smiling again! Again it is a more root yoga practice focused more inside than outside. Asanas (postures) are just instruments to keep your focus of attention on the present moment, being followed by pranayamas (breathing exercises with are more subtle) and other techniques until meditation (Samady). It does relax much my mind and helps me to calm down after a seizure (my mind gets agitated after a seizure). Yogatherapy has more and more being employed in hospital as a support to patients in difficult treatments such as cancer.
Since my evaluation, I have been together with a neuropsychologist, who gave a great support. She has been also very important for my recovery. I also do a daily journal, even when I do not have seizures (I do have about 2 to 3 seizures a month). With that, I have learned better what are my seizure triggers, external and emotional ones. Some seizures do take place after some days after an emotional trigger.
I have not been playing brain games. But I do read much and do other intellectual activities. Did those brain games help your mother?
One thing that my epileptologist said to me to help me in my current studies is to do a summary of every lesson. This helps to fix new knowledge from those with cognitive impairments. I also do write down important things, as I know that I have the risk to forget them. This gives me security and keeps me walking with a smile.
Do others here in our group have suggestions on how to cope with cognitive and other brain impairments and which activities have brought good results? If so, please do share it with us!!! It will be much appreciated!
Thank you!
Chris (Santosha)

Chris, thanks so much for your experiences with yoga. My wife has not pursued yoga but it is on our list! We will keep your suggestions in mind once she gets started.
rloc

My pleasure @rloc !
If you are interested in learning more about yogatherapy, I recommend checking the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute & Research Center. the oldest scientific yoga research institute in the world: https://kdham.com/. The school of yoga I go to is affiliated with it. I have just watched this documentary on the 100 years of Kaivalyadhama yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJEvRf1v69A. It tells the institute's history, yoga, and scientific research the institute has been doing all those 100 years.
I have just observed right now that I have called your wife, mother many times. I am very sorry for it, forgive me! I had my mother in my mind many times when replying to your posts.
Have a nice day!
Chris (Santosha)

Thank you for all your information. Good luck with your new educational challenges!

Thank you @rloc !
Wishing you all a good day!