Biomaterial Database

Psychiatric aspects of epilepsy. 1988

J R Stevens

Neuropsychiatry Branch, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. 20032.

The frequency of severe psychiatric disorders in patients with epilepsy depends first and foremost on what populations of patients are studied. In random surveys seeking prevalence of epilepsy in the community, the prevalence of associated psychiatric disorder is low. In specialty referral clinics for epilepsy, particularly those serving indigent populations, the prevalence is 25% to 50%. Among epileptics in mental hospitals or psychiatric clinics, the prevalence is, naturally, 100%. This discussion is focused on the evidence for a causal or physiological relationship between epilepsy and psychosis, depression, aggression, and sexual disturbances, and treatment of these disorders. Particular attention is given to possible relationships between temporal lobe (limbic) epilepsy and schizophrenic disorders.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003430	Cross-Sectional Studies	Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time.	Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D004827	Epilepsy	A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)	Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D004833	Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe	A localization-related (focal) form of epilepsy characterized by recurrent seizures that arise from foci within the TEMPORAL LOBE, most commonly from its mesial aspect. A wide variety of psychic phenomena may be associated, including illusions, hallucinations, dyscognitive states, and affective experiences. The majority of complex partial seizures (see EPILEPSY, COMPLEX PARTIAL) originate from the temporal lobes. Temporal lobe seizures may be classified by etiology as cryptogenic, familial, or symptomatic. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p321).	Epilepsy, Benign Psychomotor, Childhood,Benign Psychomotor Epilepsy, Childhood,Childhood Benign Psychomotor Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Lateral Temporal,Epilepsy, Uncinate,Epilepsies, Lateral Temporal,Epilepsies, Temporal Lobe,Epilepsies, Uncinate,Lateral Temporal Epilepsies,Lateral Temporal Epilepsy,Temporal Lobe Epilepsies,Temporal Lobe Epilepsy,Uncinate Epilepsies,Uncinate Epilepsy
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001523	Mental Disorders	Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.	Mental Illness,Psychiatric Diseases,Psychiatric Disorders,Psychiatric Illness,Behavior Disorders,Diagnosis, Psychiatric,Mental Disorders, Severe,Psychiatric Diagnosis,Illness, Mental,Mental Disorder,Mental Disorder, Severe,Mental Illnesses,Psychiatric Disease,Psychiatric Disorder,Psychiatric Illnesses,Severe Mental Disorder,Severe Mental Disorders
D012559	Schizophrenia	A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, HALLUCINATIONS, emotional disharmony, and regressive behavior.	Dementia Praecox,Schizophrenic Disorders,Disorder, Schizophrenic,Disorders, Schizophrenic,Schizophrenias,Schizophrenic Disorder