Abstract
Depression is the most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorder in epilepsy. Its lifetime prevalence has been estimated at between 6% and 30% in population-based studies and up to 50% among patients followed in tertiary centers. The risk of suicide has been estimated to be 10 times higher than that in the general population. Although no one questions that epilepsy is a risk for depression, recent studies have also revealed that a history of depression is associated with a 4- to 6-fold greater risk of developing epilepsy. These data suggest either a possible "bi-directional" relationship between these two disorders or the presence of common pathogenic mechanisms that facilitate the occurrence of one in the presence of the other. The clinical presentation of depressive disorders in epilepsy can be identical to that of nonepileptic patients and can include major depression, bipolar and dysthymic disorders, and minor depression. In a significant percentage of cases, however, the clinical features of depression in epilepsy fail to meet any of the DSM-IV Axis I categories. Depression in epilepsy may be iatrogenically induced with various antiepileptic drugs used to treat the seizure disorder or after surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy. Despite its relatively high prevalence, depression remains unrecognized and untreated, and unfortunately its treatment is based on empirical and uncontrolled data.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 388-398 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Biological Psychiatry |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2003 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Antidepressant drugs
- Antiepileptic drugs
- Bipolar disorder
- Iatrogenic depression
- Interictal dysphoric disorder
- Major depression
- Postictal depression
- Preictal depression
- Refractory epilepsy
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- Temporal lobe epilepsy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biological Psychiatry
Cite this
Depression in epilepsy : Prevalence, clinical semiology, pathogenic mechanisms, and treatment. / Kanner, Andres M.
In: Biological Psychiatry, Vol. 54, No. 3, 01.08.2003, p. 388-398.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Depression in epilepsy
T2 - Prevalence, clinical semiology, pathogenic mechanisms, and treatment
AU - Kanner, Andres M
PY - 2003/8/1
Y1 - 2003/8/1
N2 - Depression is the most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorder in epilepsy. Its lifetime prevalence has been estimated at between 6% and 30% in population-based studies and up to 50% among patients followed in tertiary centers. The risk of suicide has been estimated to be 10 times higher than that in the general population. Although no one questions that epilepsy is a risk for depression, recent studies have also revealed that a history of depression is associated with a 4- to 6-fold greater risk of developing epilepsy. These data suggest either a possible "bi-directional" relationship between these two disorders or the presence of common pathogenic mechanisms that facilitate the occurrence of one in the presence of the other. The clinical presentation of depressive disorders in epilepsy can be identical to that of nonepileptic patients and can include major depression, bipolar and dysthymic disorders, and minor depression. In a significant percentage of cases, however, the clinical features of depression in epilepsy fail to meet any of the DSM-IV Axis I categories. Depression in epilepsy may be iatrogenically induced with various antiepileptic drugs used to treat the seizure disorder or after surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy. Despite its relatively high prevalence, depression remains unrecognized and untreated, and unfortunately its treatment is based on empirical and uncontrolled data.
AB - Depression is the most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorder in epilepsy. Its lifetime prevalence has been estimated at between 6% and 30% in population-based studies and up to 50% among patients followed in tertiary centers. The risk of suicide has been estimated to be 10 times higher than that in the general population. Although no one questions that epilepsy is a risk for depression, recent studies have also revealed that a history of depression is associated with a 4- to 6-fold greater risk of developing epilepsy. These data suggest either a possible "bi-directional" relationship between these two disorders or the presence of common pathogenic mechanisms that facilitate the occurrence of one in the presence of the other. The clinical presentation of depressive disorders in epilepsy can be identical to that of nonepileptic patients and can include major depression, bipolar and dysthymic disorders, and minor depression. In a significant percentage of cases, however, the clinical features of depression in epilepsy fail to meet any of the DSM-IV Axis I categories. Depression in epilepsy may be iatrogenically induced with various antiepileptic drugs used to treat the seizure disorder or after surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy. Despite its relatively high prevalence, depression remains unrecognized and untreated, and unfortunately its treatment is based on empirical and uncontrolled data.
KW - Antidepressant drugs
KW - Antiepileptic drugs
KW - Bipolar disorder
KW - Iatrogenic depression
KW - Interictal dysphoric disorder
KW - Major depression
KW - Postictal depression
KW - Preictal depression
KW - Refractory epilepsy
KW - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
KW - Temporal lobe epilepsy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0141497553&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0141497553&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0006-3223(03)00469-4
DO - 10.1016/S0006-3223(03)00469-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 12893113
AN - SCOPUS:0141497553
VL - 54
SP - 388
EP - 398
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
SN - 0006-3223
IS - 3
ER -