Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic disease that is characterized primarily by seizures. One of the most common and detrimental comorbidities of epilepsy is cognitive impairment. Approximately, 30-40% of patients with chronic epilepsy experience cognitive impairment, which significantly impacts their daily functioning and quality of life and imposes a heavy burden on both patients and society. Numerous studies have established a correlation between epilepsy and cognitive impairment, showing that epilepsy patients exhibit varying degrees of cognitive deficits influenced by various factors. However, the clinical manifestations, underlying mechanisms, and influencing factors of cognitive impairment in epilepsy patients are still not fully understood. In this review, we aim to summarize and integrate the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying learning and memory impairments in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We summarize the effects of abnormal neuronal discharges, synaptic plasticity alterations, neuroinflammation, and other potential contributors to cognitive dysfunction in TLE.