Epilepsy and anxiety

Epilepsia e ansiedade

Marly de Albuquerque^I; Carlos José Reis de Campos^II

^IM.D., M.Sc, Epilepsy Section BPM. Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Epilepsy Section

^IIM.D., M.Sc, Ph.D., Associated Professor of Clinical Neurology EPM, Chief of Epilepsy Section EPM. Master Thesis

SUMMARY

We have analyzed 155 subjects with STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory): 75 epileptic patients and 80 normal subjects used as a control group. A higher trait-anxiety score (chronic anxiety) than that of controls was found for the epileptic group. For the epileptic group higher levels of the A-trait occurred in patients with EEG abnormalities with left temporal localization. We have also observed that the shorter the epilepsy lasts (less than two years), the higher the trait-anxiety levels. Convulsions and awareness loss during epileptic seizures do not modify state and trait-anxiety scores.

Key words: (anxiety, epilepsy, anxiety-inventory, state-anxiety, trait-anxiety.

RESUMO

Foram avaliados os níveis de ansiedade em 155 indivíduos pelo IDATE (Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado). O grupo de estudo constou de 75 pacientes epilépticos matriculados no Setor de Investigação e Tratamento das Epilepsias da Disciplina de Neurologia da Escola Paulista de Medicina. O grupo controle foi constituído de 80 indivíduos normais. Foram observados maiores níveis de ansiedade crônica (Ansiedade-Traço) em epilépticos que em controles não epilépticos. Esses níveis foram tanto maiores quanto menor a duração das epilepsias. Em toda a população epiléptica estudada, os níveis mais altos de ansiedade crônica ocorreram em pacientes com anormalidade do EEG de localização temporal esquerda. A perda ou não da consciência não interferiu nos níveis de ansiedade aguda (Ansiedade-Estado) ou crônica.

Palavras-chave: epilepsia, ansiedade, inventário de ansiedade tnaço-estado.

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Aceite: 20-janeiro-1993.

Dr. Carlos José Reis de Campos — Setor de Investigação e Tratamento das Epilepsias, Disciplina de Neurologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Rua Botucatu 740 - 04023-900 São Paulo SP - Briasil.

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Epilepsy and anxiety

Epilepsia e ansiedade

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  19 Jan 2011
• Date of issue
  Sept 1993