Conference Proceeding

Useful Field of View Impairment in Partial Epilepsy

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Abstract

Patients with epilepsy are at elevated risk for automobile crashes.Most collisions in drivers with epilepsy are not seizure-related, but may insteadresult from cognitive effects of epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) upondriving performance. The Useful Field of View (UFOV) score has demonstratedgood sensitivity and specificity for predicting automobile crashes. The goal in thispilot study was to assess impairments in the UFOV in subjects with partialepilepsy. Participants included 20 subjects with partial epilepsy. Neurologicallynormal control subjects of comparable age also participated. UFOV was assessedin all participants using the Visual Attention Analyzer, Model 3000 (VisualResources, Inc.). UFOV Task scores were added to calculate a UFOV Total scorefor each subject. UFOV scores were higher on all UFOV tasks in subjects withpartial epilepsy compared to neurologically normal individuals of similar age (p<0.05, Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test), suggesting a greater crash risk in individualswith partial epilepsy, even in the absence of an epileptic seizure. Causes ofimpaired UFOV scores include processing speed reduction, divided and selectiveattention impairments, and mild postoperative visual field deficits. Our ongoingstudies in drivers with epilepsy are aimed at further differentiating potentialeffects of seizures, antiepileptic drugs, and surgical lesions upon cognitiveabilities that are critical to safe automobile driving.

How to Cite:

St Louis, E. & McEvoy, S. & Shi, Q. & Rizzo, M., (2005) “Useful Field of View Impairment in Partial Epilepsy”, Driving Assessment Conference 3(2005), 225-231. doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/drivingassessment.1165

Rights: Copyright © 2005 the author(s)