Childhood epilepsy and mental-health problems

Children with epilepsy are more likely to have mental-health problems. A team of researchers led by Dr Kristin Alfstad from the National Centre for Epilepsy at Oslo University Hospital in Norway, studied information collected from 14,699 parents by the Norwegian Health Services Research Centre. 110 of the children in the survey had epilepsy and they were over twice as likely to have psychiatric symptoms as other children (38% vs 17%). Girls with epilepsy were more likely to have emotional problems while boys were more likely to have hyperactivity, inattention and problems with relationships. Having epilepsy was a much stronger risk factor for developing mental-health problems in boys than in girls.

Antiepileptic drugs and cognition

Women with epilepsy who take more than one drug to control their seizures may have children who perform less well at school. Researchers from Karolinska University Hospital and the University of Lund in Sweden studied 1,308,318 children born between 1973 and 1986; 1,235 of them were born to mothers with epilepsy who took more-than-one (429), one (641) or no (165) anti-epileptic drugs when they were pregnant. Those children who had been exposed to more than one anti-epileptic drug in the womb had an increase risk of not receiving a final grade upon completion of their schooling. However, those whose mothers had taken only one kind of anti-epileptic drug showed no decrease in performance.

Epilepsy and cognition

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio looked into the effects of epilepsy on children's cognitive abilities. They compared 282 school-aged children - who had had their first epileptic seizure in the last three months - with 147 of their siblings who had not had any seizures. The scientists also looked at three other risk factors: having had multiple seizures, using epilepsy drugs and having abnormal brain waves. Children with all four risk factors were three times more likely to experience cognitive difficulties. Of the children who had had one seizure 27% showed cognitive problems at or near the time of their first seizure and 40% of the children who had additional risk factors showed signs of cognitive problems. Children who took epilepsy drugs had difficulties in processing speed, language, verbal memory and learning compared to children who did not take them.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090812163746.htm

Anti-epilepsy drugs and children's IQs

Sodium valproate is an anti-epilepsy drug taken by people to control their seizures. Around 5,000 women with epilepsy become pregnant every year in the UK and antiepilepsy drugs have been linked to an increased risk of birth defects such as heart malformations, dysmorphic features and minor limb deformities. Researchers from Liverpool University, Emory University in the U.S. and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust tested more than 300 3-year-olds whose mothers had taken anti-epilepsy drugs. They found that those women who took sodium valproate while they were pregnant had children with IQs six to nine points lower than those women taking other anti-epilepsy drugs. The researchers stressed that although anti-epilepsy drugs carry a slightly-increased risk of birth defects the risk is still very small and less than the risks to mothers and children from uncontrolled seizures. They advised women concerned about their anti-epilepsy medication to contact their GP before stopping taking the drugs.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721090224.htm

Epilepsy and depression

People with epilepsy are almost twice as likely to suffer from depression, according to a study by researchers from the University of Toronto who used data from the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey. The survey found that 13% of people with epilepsy suffered from depression compared to only 7% of people who did not have epilepsy. Once other factors had been taken into account it was found that people with epilepsy were 43% more likely to suffer from depression. Among people with epilepsy those from ethnic minorities were seven times more likely to have depression than White people. Women, older people and those struggling to buy food were all more likely than other people with epilepsy to become depressed. The study also found that 40% of depressed people with epilepsy were not using mental-health services.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090316133431.htm