Some Characteristics of Emotional Disorders in Epilepsy

• DOI: 10.1007/s11055-010-9381-6
• Publication Date: 2010-12-10T02:02:54Z
• Authors: P. I. Bilalova; A. V. Lebedeva; I. Yu. Kovaleva; I. L. Kaimovskii; A. B. Gekht
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; 3. Good health

Epilepsy is an example of an interdisciplinary problem. The polymorphism of the symptoms occurring in epilepsy ‐ epileptic seizures, as well as psychopathological and memory/intellectual disorders ‐ require neurologists, neuropsychologists, and in some cases psychiatrists to address cases with care. Affective disorders, including depression and anxiety, are the most widespread comorbid disorders in patients with epilepsy. WHO data indicate that by 2020, depression will occupy second place in the structure of disease after cardiovascular diseases [2, 23]. There have been few studies addressing emotional disorders in patients with epilepsy and their results are to some extent contradictory. This is because emotional disorders in patients with epileptic seizures are not always recognized and diagnosed as depression or anxiety disorders because of their similarity to epileptic seizures and the side effects of antiepileptic agents (AEA).