May the right-side epileptogenic zone be a predictor of psychiatric comorbidity in people with refractory epilepsy?

• Author(s): Novais, Filipa ; Loureiro, Susana ; Andrea, Mafalda ; Figueira, Maria Luísa ; Pimentel, José ; Pestana, Luís Câmara
• Date: 2019
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10451/46105
• Origin: Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
• Subject(s): Refractory epilepsy; Epileptogenic zone; Laterality; Psychiatric disorders
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboa

Description

The aim of this study was to determine the rate and types of lifetime psychiatric disorders, as well as their predictors, in a sample of people with refractory epilepsy. Demographic, neurological, psychiatric and neuropsychological data, from people with refractory epilepsy, were registered at the pre-surgical interview. Linear regression was used to determine predictors. One hundred and ninety-one participants were included. Forty-six percent of our sample had at least one previous psychiatric diagnosis, most frequently depressive (64%), anxiety (10%), substance use (10%) and psychotic disorders (6%). Patients with a right-side epileptogenic zone had an increased risk for these disorders (OR 2.36; CI 1.22-4.56; p = 0.01). Specific epilepsy-related factors may raise the risk of developing a psychiatric disorder. Our study adds evidence to support a bidirectional relationship between epilepsy and mental health.