Risk factors and outcome of mood disorders in epilepsy: a case-control study

BACKGROUND This case-control study investigated both the risk factors and outcome of mood disorders in epilepsy. METHODS For this study, 44 patients with both epilepsy and a mood disorder (study group) were compared with 44 randomly selected patients of epilepsy without a mood disorder (control group). Psychiatric diagnosis was made as per ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria for Research (ICD-10 DCR). International classification for seizure types (1981) was used for classification of seizure types. RESULTS Of the patients in the study group, a majority were educated up to at least primary level, had later onset of seizures, longer duration of epilepsy and cluster attacks. The outcome of mood disorders in epilepsy was found good in most. CONCLUSIONS Educated patients who develop epilepsy at a later age and patients with poorly controlled epilepsy are more likely to experience mood disorders. In most patients with epilepsy, mood disorders remit completely; notably, in some patients affective symptoms resolve spontaneously.