New Rehabilitation Programme for People with Epilepsy Developed at Vilnius University

Prof. Rūta Mameniškienė. Photo from personal archive.

Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University (VU) have developed Lithuania’s first programme for cognitive and psychosocial rehabilitation designed for individuals affected by epilepsy. The study results show that the two-month psychological counselling programme improved the quality of life for more than half of the participants and reduced symptoms of anxiety.

Up to 28,000 people in Lithuania live with epilepsy, yet treatment is still largely focused on seizure control. Meanwhile, many patients experience anxiety, depression, and impairments in memory and attention, all of which significantly affect their daily lives, work capacity, and social relationships.

‘Although cognitive rehabilitation services are already available in many European countries, they have not been provided in Lithuania until now. Our research proves that such programmes are not only necessary but also effective,’ said Rūta Mameniškienė, Professor at the VU Faculty of Medicine and a neurologist.

During the study, one group of patients participated in the psychological counselling programme, while the other continued with standard treatment. The results revealed that the well‑being of patients who took part in the programme improved significantly, and the positive effects persisted for several months after completion. Signs of improvement in long-term memory were also observed.

According to the researchers, these findings indicate that epilepsy care in Lithuania should extend beyond seizure control.

‘To improve patients’ quality of life, more attention must be paid to psychological and cognitive difficulties, as well as to reducing the stigma associated with the condition,’ Prof. Mameniškienė emphasised.

In the future, such rehabilitation programmes are expected to become a standard part of epilepsy care in Lithuania.

The project ‘Rehabilitation of cognition and psychosocial well-being – a better life with epilepsy’, implemented at Vilnius University, was funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (project No. P-MIP-23-333).