What mental disorders can epilepsy cause?

The types of behavioral problems associated with epilepsy include attention deficit, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, aggression, and autism spectrum disorder. Early identification and treatment of behavioral problems provides the best possible outcome.

Is epilepsy associated with mental illness?

Epilepsy is not a mental illness. In fact, the vast majority of people living with epilepsy have no cognitive or psychological problem. For the most part, psychological issues in epilepsy are limited to people with severe and uncontrolled epilepsy.

Does epilepsy surgery change your personality?

Three studies showed no changes in personality post-surgery, while one showed increased emotional lability, which was characterized as a negative development.

What forms of psychiatric comorbidity is associated with epilepsy?

The most prevalent psychiatric comorbidities present in epilepsy were depression (n= 51,885 (13%)) followed by psychosis (n= 41,270 (10.4%)). Alcohol abuse (n= 34,540 (8.7%)) and drug abuse (n= 30,975 (7.8%)) were less prevalent psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy.

What disorders are related to epilepsy?

Common comorbidities associated with epilepsy include:

• Depression — this is believed to be the most common comorbidity.
• Other mood disorders — in addition to depression, people with epilepsy are more likely to have mood disorders such as dysthymic disorder, anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder.

Is epilepsy neurological or psychiatric?

Decades ago epilepsy was considered a nosological entity within the realm of psychiatric illness, but now the diagnosis and treatment assignment is left up to neurologists by default, necessitating expertise or at least familiarity with similar clinical presentations related to other medical and mental health …

Can epilepsy cause bipolar?

Another common mood disorder in people with epilepsy is bipolar affective disorder. It is characterized by two types of symptoms: depression and mania.

What is interictal dysphoric disorder?

Objective: The interictal dysphoric disorder (IDD) is a proposed epilepsy-specific mood disorder characterized by a cluster of symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, euphoria, and anxiety. Since its introduction, the concept of IDD has been a matter of debate.

Is epilepsy linked to schizophrenia?

Studies have identified a clear association between epilepsy and mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and psychosis. A Danish study has e.g. shown that people with epilepsy have a risk of developing schizophrenia that is two-and-a-half times higher than those without epilepsy.

What are IDD seizures?

Abstract. Objective: The interictal dysphoric disorder (IDD) is a proposed epilepsy-specific mood disorder characterized by a cluster of symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, euphoria, and anxiety.

Can epileptic seizures cause psychosis?

Psychosis in people with epilepsy is most often classified according to the time when episodes occur, in relation to seizures: Postictal psychosis has been estimated to affect between 6% and 10% of people with epilepsy.

Is epilepsy a hidden disability?

Epilepsy is sometimes described as a hidden disability because it is not usually obvious that someone has the condition unless they have a seizure. Whether you feel that you have a disability or not, you are protected by the Equality Act if your epilepsy affects you in this way.

What are personality changes caused by epilepsy?

Psychosis, depression, paranoia, and personality disorders may represent a negative pole of epilepsy-related behavioral changes. The most important aspect of behavioral changes in epilepsy for physicians is to recognize and treat dysfunctional behavior.

Do psychiatric disorders predict outcome in epilepsy surgery?

This study shows that psychiatric lifetime diagnoses are associated with worse surgical outcome and highlighted the importance of the inclusion of these diagnoses in the evaluation of the potential success of the surgery. Psychiatric disorders as predictors of epilepsy surgery outcome

Is there a link between epilepsy and behavioral and psychiatric disorders?

The interest in and awareness of various behavioral and psychiatric difficulties in association with epilepsy has waxed and waned over the past 150 years. Gowers (1881) recognized that the cognitive and behavior disorders are common interictally and result from combinations of the underlying disorder, medications, and seizures.

Are surgeries on patients with temporal lobe epilepsy becoming more common?

These studies demonstrate the decrease in surgeries for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and increase in surgeries for extra-temporal and nonlesional cases. They also demonstrate a larger proportion of patients overall being referred for evaluation but not having surgery.

Are psychiatric manifestations prior to seizure onset associated with epilepsy?

Such data suggest that, in some patients, the psychiatric manifestations prior to seizure onset may in fact represent a neuropsychiatric prodrome phase to the epilepsy or the epilepsy a neurologic prodrome phase to the psychiatric disorders.