Growing evidence suggests a bidirectional interaction between epileptic seizures and psychological states, fuelling the interest in the development and application of psychobehavioral therapy for people with epilepsy (PWE). The objective of this article is to review the various psychobehavioral therapies in regard to their application, hypothesized mechanisms, and effectiveness. Most psychobeha...

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy (PWE), with prevalence rates ranging from 20% to 55%. The cause of this increased rate is multifactorial. Depression and epilepsy are thought to share the same pathogenic mechanism. Anxiety, on the other hand, seems to have a prevalence rate among PWE comparable to, or even higher than, those reported for depression, and it i...

Epilepsy is one of the most common and widespread neurological disorders. Recent estimates suggest that it accounts for 1% of the global burden of disease [1] and affects over 65 million people [2]. In addition, because the relatives and friends of people with epilepsy (PWE) also bear the burden of this condition, more than 500 million people are indirectly affected by epilepsy [3]. Thus, epile...

BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a common disorder in South Africa and the literature indicates that many patients do not access treatment. The reasons are complex and include a poor knowledge about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment (medical knowledge). This study aimed to assess the medical knowledge of isiZulu-speaking people with epilepsy (PWE) who attend a combination regional and district ho...

PURPOSE Levetiracetam (LEV) therapeutic range (20-40mg/L) and potential drug interactions were assessed in people with epilepsy (PWE). METHOD Fifty-two PWE had LEV and concomitant medications [carbamazepine (CBZ); valproate (VPA); lamotrigine (LTG)] blood levels measured and compared to seizure activity. Lacosamide (LCM) levels were unavailable. Adopted therapeutic ranges were: 20-40mg/L - LE...

Epilepsy is one of the commonest neurologic diseases and has always been associated with stigma. In the interest of safety, the activities of persons with epilepsy (PWE) are often restricted. In keeping with this, physical exercise has often been discouraged. The precise nature of a person's seizures (or whether seizures were provoked or unprovoked) may not have been considered. Although there ...

PURPOSE Seizure detection devices (SDD) may reduce the potential for seizure-related injury, SUDEP or status epilepticus. We performed a survey of persons with epilepsy (PWE) and caregivers to assess their perspectives regarding the features and priorities that should be considered in the design of these devices. METHODS PWE/caregiver completed a survey which assessed the worry of undetected ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study was undertaken to determine the knowledge that people with epilepsy (PWE) have regarding the nature of epilepsy and its management, and also to identify the factors contributing to their knowledge of epilepsy. METHODS We studied 79 consecutive PWE who visited the outpatient clinic of Seoul National University Hospital using a structured questionnaire consisti...

PURPOSE Little is known about the triggering factors (TFs) of seizures in persons with epilepsy (PWE). This study aimed to document the perception of PWE of factors that precipitated their seizures. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data was obtained from 405 patients attending the Epilepsy Clinic at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). This was analyzed using appropriate descriptive and ...

PURPOSE The aim of the study is to determine whether certain demographic, clinical, and psychosocial traits are associated with higher levels of felt stigma among persons with epilepsy (PWE) patients followed at a level 4 epilepsy center. METHODS We performed a direct survey of 182 consenting patients that included the Epilepsy Stigma Scale. RESULTS On univariate analysis, higher levels of ...