Study Associates Major Depression with Increased Risk of Unprovoked Seizures

Special to EpilepsyUSA
Posted: January 25, 2006

Results of a study published in a recent issue of the medical journal Annals of Neurology reported that symptoms of major depression, particularly suicidal attempts, are associated with an increased risk of unprovoked seizures.

According to lead researcher, Dale C. Hesdorffer, Ph.D., of the Gertrude Sergievsky Center at Columbia University, there's a "common underlying brain dysfunction that links epilepsy and suicidal behavior." For some time, it was largely believed the rigors of living with severe epilepsy caused depression, which is common in people with epilepsy, and the depression in turn increased the risk of suicidal tendencies. Hesdorffer's research brings that theory into question now, as his data hints suicidal behavior is a threat even before the disorder is diagnosed.

"The relationship between depression and unprovoked seizures is much more complex than previously appreciated," Hesdorffer and his colleagues wrote.

The study compared epilepsy and depression in 324 patients with epilepsy, as well as 647 people without the condition. The researchers found that a history of depression increased the risk of epilepsy, but even more surprising was the fact that people with epilepsy were four times more likely to have attempted suicide before ever having a seizure. This was even after external factors were taken into account, such as drinking alcohol, having depression, age and gender.

"This study is a significant addition to the growing body of knowledge that depression, even in its most severe form, shares neurobiological features with epilepsy," said Steven Schachter, M.D., a member of the Epilepsy Foundation's board of directors and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.