Ekmekci, Hakan.Kaptan, Hulagu.2020-03-262020-03-262019Ekmekci, H., Kaptan, H. (2019). Vagal Nerve Stimulation has Robust Effects on Neuropsychiatric Assessment in Resistant Epilepsy: A Clinical Series with Clinical Experiences. Turkish Neurosurgery, 29(2), 213-221.1019-5149https://dx.doi.org/10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.23065-18.4https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12395/38377AIM: To evaluate the resistant epileptic patients who had vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) devices implanted over five years, and to evaluate the neuropsychological aspects of VNS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy (PRE) were followed from 2012 to 2017. Totally seven patients were found eligible for VNS in this period. In the pre-surgical period, patients were neuro-psychiatrically assessed by an independent psychiatric committee for mental status, which included assessment of intelligence quotient (IQ), Wechsler adult intelligence scale-revised (WAIS-R) IQ, Stroop test and mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Hamilton depression scale (HDS) and the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI). RESULTS: The positive effects of VNS on patients' well-being and neuropsychiatric status may be the most as important as the treatment's cost effectiveness. The patients' quality of life (QoL) was calculated just before and 12th / 24th months after VNS implantation. The pre-VNS scores for Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QoLiE-31-P) ranged from 14-59, and average score was 37.14.The post-VNS scores ranged from 31-72, and the average score was 52.86. CONCLUSION: VNS has intense effects on QoL of epileptic patients. The best approach for comparing and evaluating QoL in PRE patients may be the QoLiE-31-P inventory, which can be adapted and used in epilepsy centers to evaluate energy, mood, daily activity, cognition, medication effects, seizure worry and overall QoL.en10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.23065-18.4info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessVagal nerve stimulationQuality of lifeNeuropsychiatric assessmentPharmacoresistant epilepsyArticle29221322130649787Q3WOS:000460303600008Q4