Epilepsy is common after the age of 65 with around half of new-onset patients showing no identifiable cause. This condition is termed late onset idiopathic epilepsy (LOIE). As the population ages, the number of people with LOIE is expected to increase, as will its financial burden on the healthcare system. Studies have shown that a subset of patients with LOIE also have an underlying progressive neurologic condition like Alzheimer’s Disease. Studies characterizing the cognitive and imaging profile of this population are needed but currently lacking. We propose to recruit 40 subjects with LOIE. Subjects will undergo comprehensive cognitive testing, brain imaging, genetic analysis, and brain wave testing with a 24-hour electroencephalogram (EEG). For each subject, we will identify three similar subjects from the Harvard Aging Brain Study, a study of 300 subjects with similar data. We hypothesize that, compared to study controls, subjects with LOIE will have lower cognitive testing scores, evidence of lower volumes in their memory centers, and a higher burden of vessel problems in the brain. Funding for this study will enable a better understanding of LOIE and will be a stepping stone for future studies looking at prevention and treatment.
