INTRODUCTION: Several studies have reported an increased risk for psychiatric disturbances in patients with epilepsy. It is assumed that the risk is higher for patients with partial epilepsy in comparison with patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Besides, the persistence of seizures in some patients and the psychosocial impact of epilepsy seem to be important factors for the increased risk. The symptoms and the underlying psychopathology vary considerably among patients. Psychiatric comorbidities are based on the psychiatric symptomatology, the presence or absence of disturbance of consciousness, the EEG abnormalilies, and in the temporal relation between symptoms and seizures. RESULTS: Psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy are very common, especially in patients who have the temporal lobe as epileptogenic foci. Psychiatric disorders with a high prevalence in epilepsy include mood disorders such as major depression, anxiety, and psychosis. CONCLUSION: Temporal lobe epilepsy per se cannot be considered a risk factor in developing more or more severe symptoms of psychopathology in patients with partial epilepsy. Concomitant factors, such as the duration of epilepsy and seizure frequency may play an additional role. Better recognition of psychiatric comorbidities will help to develop and implement appropriate diagnostic and treatment programs, and improve functional outcomes and quality of life in people with epilepsy.
temporal lobe epilepsy; psychiatric comorbidities; psychosis; major depression
