Co-morbid psychiatric disorder in chronic epilepsy: Recognition and etiology of depression

Wiegartz, Pam PhD
Seidenberg, Michael PhD
Woodard, Austin PsyD
Gidal, Barry PharmD
Hermann, Bruce PhD

From the Department of Psychology, Chicago Medical School (Drs. Wiegartz and Seidenberg), Chicago, IL; Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin (Drs. Woodard and Hermann), Madison, WI; College of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin (Dr. Gidal), Madison, WI.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Bruce Hermann, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, 600 N. Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792.

Neurology 53(5):p S3-S8, September 22, 1999.

Article abstract

This article briefly presents one approach to conceptualizing known and suspected risk factors for co-morbid psychiatric disorder in epilepsy. The utility of this model is then reviewed by examining selected neurobiologic, psychosocial, and iatrogenic risk factors for a common co-morbid psychiatric disorder, interictal depression. Finally, data are presented concerning the rates of current and lifetime mood disorders among a sample of 76 patients with chronic complex partial seizures, the degree to which co-morbid depression has been recognized and treated in chronic epilepsy, and the health-related quality of life status associated with current and past mood disorders. Finally, these findings are related to the larger literature concerned with the recognition and treatment of depression.