Applications of teleneuropsychology to the screening and monitoring of epilepsy

Abstract

Epilepsy is an inherently dynamic disease and neuropsychology plays a key role in the formulation, monitoring and management of the condition. Teleneuropsychology provides an opportunity for neuropsychology to increase its accessibility, reach and efficiency, using focussed assessments to target epilepsy relevant domains at critical timepoints in the disease trajectory. Neuropsychologists working with epilepsy have, however, been comparatively slow to adopt telehealth methods. Here we review recent developments in teleneuropsychology, with particular reference to applications and considerations in Late Onset Epilepsy. Three different approaches to remote assessment of cognition are discussed: unsupervised, computer-administered assessments; telephone-based assessments; and videoconference-based assessments. Uptake of unsupervised, computer-administered (browser or app-based) assessments has been strongest in aging research, where there is now evidence of feasibility, reliability, and validity, especially for measures of speed and working memory. Telephone-based assessments are well established in older aged cohorts and have recently been applied in epilepsy. Such assessments are widely accessible from a technology perspective, though reliance on a purely oral medium limits cognitive domain coverage. Videoconference based assessments have partially addressed this limitation, though continue to rely largely upon finding ways to administer legacy materials via the medium rather than intrinsically exploiting the technology. We argue that the future of neuropsychology requires development of integrated videoconference-based, computer-assisted cognitive testing, combining the benefits of computerised assessments with the advantages of human led assessments. Such an approach will be applicable across neuropsychological conditions, from childhood through to older adults.