A Comparative Analysis of Cognitive Processes of Neuropsychological Endophenotype in First Degree Relatives of Epileptic Patients

Abstract

This research paper quantitatively investigates the cognitive processes in first-degree relatives of individuals with epilepsy through a comparative analysis of neuropsychological endophenotypes. The study aims to identify potential neuropsychological endophenotypes that may serve as indicators of genetic susceptibility to epilepsy. This investigation involved 50 participants, split into two categories: 25 first-degree relatives of epileptic patients and 25 control participants. This study adopts an ex-post facto design with a cross-sectional approach to compare cognitive dimensions, encompassing memory, attention, executive functions, and other relevant domains. The results of the independent sample ttests suggest robust differences in cognitive performance between the studied groups across multiple domains, supporting the notion that the groups significantly differ in their cognitive abilities.