Resource Tag: EPILEPSY

This article reviews the topic of suicide among individuals with epilepsy. Four specific areas are discussed: a) rates of suicide among individuals with epilepsy compared with the general population; b) risk factors for suicidal ideation & behavior; c) methods for assessing suicidal risk; d) clinical interventions & strategies to address suicidal risk in people with […]

The authors investigated a series of patients with epileptic psychosis in Brazil & compared their findings with those of other authors, studying course & outcome for epilepsy & psychosis. Mean age of psychosis onset was 27.4 years, after a mean duration of epilepsy of 18.1 years, with predominance of schizophrenic presentations with interictal onset, frequent […]

This article summarizes the current data on the evaluation & treatment of depression in the general population of youths with epilepsy, with specific focus on issues related to comorbid epilepsy. Heightened risk of suicide in this population is discussed. (95 refs)

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This article summarizes the speakers of the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine in 2000. These speakers state that most neurologic disorders increase overall suicidality, but the risk to each patient must be understood in terms of specific psychosocial factors as well as the shifts in risk that occur in the course of […]

To assess the causes of death in institutionalized epileptics, the patient records, death certificates, & other data from the only hospital for epileptics in Finland (Vaajasalo Hospital) were reexamined. During the years 1900-1976, 179 inpatients in Vaajasalo Hospital died; this was 12.1% of all inpatients. Thirteen deaths were recorded as suicides or suspected suicides (11 […]

Psychiatric disorders were investigated in 74 patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. In all cases unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy had been performed during the period 1960-1969. At follow-up in 1970-71, 45 patients were free from seizures, & in a further group of 15 patients seizure frequency had been substantially reduced. There were four postoperative deaths. […]

This study investigates the association between the risk of suicide in persons with epilepsy & clinical factors that might increase this risk. Information was collected & compared on 26 cases of confirmed suicide, 23 cases of suspected suicide, & 171 people with epilepsy who were registered in the Stockholm County In-Patient Register. Results indicate that […]

This study analyzed depression status in patients who underwent surgical treatment for medically intractable partial epilepsy. Clinical depression indexes were completed for 107 American patients prior to & 1 year after surgery. Results indicated that preoperative symptoms of depression, psychiatric visits, & suicide attempts predicted a worsening of symptoms within the first year after epilepsy […]

This article explores the association between epilepsy and suicide, through a review of the epilepsy literature produced between 1940 and 1979. A total of 11 papers were found from which it was possible to derive some evidence about the incidence of suicide in epileptics, which dealt specifically with the topics of temporal lobe epilepsy, epileptic […]

Chapters in this book include: mental illness & suicide; physical illness & suicide; epilepsy & suicide; social relations of suicide (e.g. life events); accuracy of the suicide rate; undetermined, accidental & suicidal deaths; the aftermath of suicide; the prevention of suicide; & summary and conclusions. Appendices contain the questionnaire used in the clinical study; a […]

This article reports the findings of a retrospective longitudinal self-controlled study of 124 adult patients treated with resective surgery for medically uncontrolled partial epilepsy from 1949 to 1988. Approximately 65% of the patients experienced >95% reduction in seizure frequency, & 75% had worthwhile improvement of at least 75% seizure reduction. Significant reductions were noted in […]

This article reports findings of a retrospective study of 64 patients aged 4-19 years treated with resective surgery for partial epilepsy from 1952 to 1988. Approx. 60% of patients has a >95% reduction in seizure frequency; 70% had improvement of at least 75%. Seizure relief was more frequent among patients who underwent operation after 1978; […]

This article presents a review of research studies examining psychiatric & medical diseases. Evidence is presented for medical illnesses with high & average suicide risk as well as general physical illnesses. While patients with serious illnesses generally show a high risk of suicide & a higher percentage of deaths from suicide, these studies often involve […]

The goal of this study was to evaluate the ictal & psychiatric aspects underlying the high risk of suicide among epileptic patients (EP). In our sample, there were 4 EP who died by suicide & all 4 had partial complex seizures & temporal lobe foci. Further analysis of our findings suggest that the high suicide […]

In a two-year study of patients admitted to hospital after deliberate self-poisoning or self-injury, a fivefold excess of patients with epilepsy was found compared with general population prevalence rates. Males with epilepsy were particularly over-represented. Patients with epilepsy were prone to make repeat attempts. Anticonvulsants, particularly barbiturates, were used in most cases of self-poisoning. (14 […]

Studies examining the suicide risk in patients with neurologic diseases are often encumbered with methodologic problems. The authors conducted a literature review of published reports on the most common neurologic diseases & noted 5 methodologic problems. An increased suicide risk was found in multiple sclerosis patients & selected groups of epilepsy patients. In other neurologic […]

In a retrospective study of mortality among the first 1000 unselected patients at the Epilepsy Research Unit in Glasgow between 1985-90, a total of 18 deaths were identified. 3 patients had committed suicide. 12 of the deaths were sudden. Poor seizure control & poor compliance with drug therapy was noted in only 3 of these […]

Presents a discussion by an interdisciplinary team on the case of a 31-yr-old female patient who sustained 2nd & 3rd degree burns while having a seizure. An interview with the S raised the possibility that the burn may have been a suicide attempt, & subsequent discussion centered on effective ways of relating to the S’s […]

This paper focuses on problems that arise when the definitions of illness & appropriate behaviours for patients & healers in American Indian societies are at variance with those of the modern health care system. The author discusses suicide among Hopis & Shoshone-Bannocks as an example of how intracultural & cross-cultural labeling can affect the success […]

A retrospective chart review (1979-1985) was performed to identify probable causes of intoxication with anitepileptic drugs (AEDs). The causes inepileptic patients were iatrogenic,inappropriate dose self-adjustment, suicide attempts, etc. The causes for nonepileptic patients were suicide attempts, accidental ingestion & iatrogenic. The authors conclude that AED intoxication is a major but preventable cause of morbidity, & […]