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.
anxiety; epilepsy; anxiety-inventory; state-anxiety; trait-anxiety