Epilepsy & Behavior最新文献

{"title":"Spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs in Brazilian adults with epilepsy","authors":"Gloria M.A.S. Tedrus","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110223","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110223","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate the relationship between S/R, demographic data, and clinical variables of Brazilian adult patients with epilepsy (PWE).</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>The scores of the WHO Quality of Life for Assessment of Spirituality, Religion, and Personal Beliefs (WHOQOL-SRPB) were related to demographic and clinical aspects, the Spirituality Self-Rating Scale (SSRS), and the Spiritual/Religious Coping Scale (SRC) of 60 PWE.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The mean age was 42.8y and 35 (58.3%) patients reported regular religious practice. In the WHOQOL-SRPB, greater inner peace and harmony were observed in women, greater wholeness and integration, hope and optimism in married patients, and greater spiritual connection in patients with religious practice. The use of polytherapy with antiseizure medication (ASM) was associated with lower spiritual connection, wholeness, integration, and S/N in the WHOQOL-SRPB. The higher seizure frequency was associated with lower spiritual connection. Facet scores and total scores of the WHOQOL-SRPB were significantly correlated with positive and negative coping and a greater perception of spiritual guidance.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In the PWE, the use of S/R differed according to gender, marital status, and religious practice. Clinical variables influenced the perception of S/R, which differed according to the use of ASM, frequency, and type of epileptic seizures. The greater use of coping and spiritual guidance was associated with different facets of S/R and personal beliefs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110223"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142827803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge and attitudes of preclinical and clinical medical students toward epilepsy: A cross-sectional study from Turkey","authors":"Fettah Eren ,&nbsp;Sumeyye Aydogmus ,&nbsp;Furkan Oral ,&nbsp;Mine Aleyna Saka ,&nbsp;Aslihan Kocatas ,&nbsp;Muhammed Mustafa Esmer ,&nbsp;Shams Guliyeva ,&nbsp;Mustafa Safa Cibik ,&nbsp;Salih Emre Gungor ,&nbsp;Kemal Oguz ,&nbsp;Melike Somuncu ,&nbsp;Ceren Cinar ,&nbsp;Omer Yazgan ,&nbsp;Nesibe Ozkaya ,&nbsp;Adem Yildiz","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The aim of this study is to evaluate the epilepsy-related knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy in medical students. In addition, these parameters were evaluated according to national geographic regions, preclinical and clinical characteristics.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study was a cross-sectional, observational design and it was conducted among medical students in a centrally located city, Turkey. Participants were divided into two groups as preclinical (1st, 2nd and 3rd year) and clinical (4th, 5th, and 6th year). Structured questionnaires were used to evaluate knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward epilepsy. All items were converted into an online format.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In general, clinical students exhibited better knowledge about epilepsy than preclinical students (p = 0.001), however there was no statistical difference between groups in terms of attitudes toward epilepsy (p = 0.561). In the knowledge scale, the lowest rate was “Brain operation can be effective treatment in some patients” (43.9 %); and in the attitudes scale, the lowest rate was “I would marry someone who has epilepsy” (51.1 %). A weak negative correlation was detected between knowledge and attitudes scores (p = 0.027, r = -0.103). Scores in knowledge about epilepsy and attitude toward epilepsy were not difference in national geographic regions (p = 0.637). Knowledge score was higher in students who witnessed an epileptic seizure (p = 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The study demonstrated that medical students had insufficient knowledge, mainly about treatment in epilepsy. Negative attitudes, especially about marriage or dating, were detected. Students’ perceptions about epilepsy could be improved with training program. Medical regular curriculum should be reorganized about this line.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110242"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142909503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: When spasms come out of the blue","authors":"Marta Conti ,&nbsp;Sara Matricardi ,&nbsp;Ludovica M. Piscitello ,&nbsp;Marina Auconi ,&nbsp;Ida Cursio ,&nbsp;Alessandra Terracciano ,&nbsp;Federico Vigevano ,&nbsp;Nicola Specchio ,&nbsp;Carla Marini ,&nbsp;Lucia Fusco","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>BACKGROUND</h3><div>This study evaluates the electroclinical features of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) suddenly appearing in previously normal patients, aiming to describe clinical outcomes and independent predictors. METHOD: We retrospectively selected a homogeneous group of patients with IESS from two Italian centers. All patients had normal development prior to IESS onset and a follow-up period lasting at least one year. Patients with clinically relevant risk factors, other seizure types, brain structural abnormalities or known genetic diseases were excluded. The BASED score was used to standardize interictal EEG patterns. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were enrolled, with a median age at IESS onset of 6 months; median follow-up was 43 months. At onset, 65.11 % exhibited mild behavioral changes, including irritability and poor social smile. At firstEEG, epileptic encephalopathy (EE) was prevalent during wakefulness (69.76 %; median BASED score 4) and sleep (81.40 %; median BASED score 5). Within 15 days of treatment, 83.72 % achieved seizure freedom, primarily with ACTH depot (90.70 %). After six months, all patients were seizure- and EE-free. At the last follow-up, 81.40 % had normal cognitive functioning; in the remaining, specific neurodevelopmental disorders, predominantly involving language were reported. No statistically significant differences were found in the electroclinical presentation and neuropsychological outcome. CONCLUSION: We describe a subgroup of IESS patients with prompt response to treatment, long-term seizure freedom, and absence of severe neurodevelopmental impact. Our data suggest that within the IESS spectrum, there is a distinctive subgroup with global favorable outcome. Key clinical features predictors of good outcome could include normal development prior to IESS and early response to treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110180"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142812540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychometric properties of the Malay and Chinese Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale (ESSS)","authors":"Woon-Hin Ching ,&nbsp;Ming-Yi Soon ,&nbsp;Joe-Lynn Yee ,&nbsp;Zhi-Jien Chia ,&nbsp;Kheng-Seang Lim ,&nbsp;Si-Lei Fong ,&nbsp;Xuen Yu ,&nbsp;Zhi-Qian Ong ,&nbsp;Izumi Kuramochi","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Self-stigma means internalizing negative beliefs and attitudes associated with stigmatized identity. This study aimed to translate and validate the Malay and Chinese versions of the Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale (ESSS).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale was translated into the Malay (ESSS-M) and Chinese versions (ESSS-C) according to standard principles and were tested in 100 Malay and 100 Chinese-speaking people with epilepsy (PWE) respectively. Psychometric evaluations were done based on equal item variance, convergent and discriminant validity, construct validity and reliability. Correlation analyses were carried out between the ESSS and the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>For the ESSS-M, 100 Malay-speaking PWE with a mean age of 42.25 years (±15.18) were recruited. Exploratory factor analysis identified eight items loaded on three factors: “Internalization of stigma”, “Societal incomprehension”, and “Confidentiality”. However, item 1 was loaded under a different component from the initial paper, conceptualized as confidentiality.</div><div>For the ESSS-C, 100 Chinese-speaking participants with a mean age of 41.07 years (±15.57). Exploratory factor analysis identified three loading factors similar to the original scale: “Internalization of stigma”, “Societal incomprehension”, and “Confidentiality”. Both ESSS-M and ESSS-C scales showed significant correlations with NDDI-E and GAD-7 scores, showcasing substantial construct validity.</div><div>The Cronbach’s alpha values were α = 0.822 for the ESSS-M and α = 0.831 for the ESSS-C.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Both the ESSS-M and ESSS-C were reliable and valid for measuring epilepsy self-stigma among the Malay- and Chinese-speaking PWE in Malaysia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110176"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142812543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between behavioral problems and parental stress in children and adolescents with epilepsy","authors":"Sai Sirisha ,&nbsp;Sireesha Jala ,&nbsp;Sudhindra Vooturi ,&nbsp;Anuja Patil ,&nbsp;Shanmukhi Somayajula ,&nbsp;Sita Jayalakshmi","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The current study evaluated the association between behavioral problems in children and adolescents with epilepsy and parental stress.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A prospective observational study of 314 consecutive parents of children and adolescents with epilepsy who attended the out-patient epilepsy clinic of a tertiary care hospital was done between June 2022 and September 2023. Self-reported Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) was reported by parents; who also reported the parental stress scale (PSS). The data as per CBCL guidelines was evaluated in three groups of children and adolescents with epilepsy aged 1.5 to 5 years; 6 to 10 years and 11 to 18 years. The associations between score on CBCL with reported score on PSS was evaluated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 314 children and adolescents with epilepsy, 37(11.8 %) were aged between 1.5 to 5 years; while 108(34.4 %) aged between six to 10 years, the remaining 169(53.8 %) aged between 11 to 18 years. In children below 5 years of age, internalizing factors like anxiety/depression, somatic symptoms were significantly higher. Importantly, the reported scores on PSS were lower in parents of adolescents than children with epilepsy. When evaluated for correlation of CBCL with PSS, internalizing characteristics like withdrawal were strongly associated with parental stress in children below the age of 5 years. On the contrary, in children aged above five years, and in adolescents externalizing characteristics showed strong correlations with parental stress. Child’s higher school performance had a negative correlation with PSS(R-Square: −0.499; p &lt; 0.001) and requirement for special school or child not attending school had positive correlation with PSS(R-square: 0.433;p &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Behavioral problems in children and adolescents with epilepsy differ with age. Parental stress is associated with internalizing behavior in pre-school children whereas externalizing behavior dominated in children and adolescents. Poor performance of children at school and requirement for special school is associated with high parental stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142893147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postpartum depression and mother-infant bonding in women with epilepsy: A case-control study","authors":"Rehab Magdy ,&nbsp;Nirmeen A. Kishk ,&nbsp;Mennat-Allah Tarek ,&nbsp;Manal Moussa ,&nbsp;Marwa M. Zein ,&nbsp;Mohamed Khodery ,&nbsp;Salsabil Abo Al-Azayem","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background &amp; Objectives</h3><div>Postpartum depression is a debilitating mental health condition that consequently can negatively impact the mother/infant unit. This study aimed to screen for postpartum depression among women with epilepsy (WWE) versus healthy women and its consequences on establishing a proper mother-infant bonding.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A group of WWE (n = 102) and a control group of healthy women (n = 119) were evaluated 4–6 weeks postpartum. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) were used.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The median scores of EPDS did not significantly differ between WWE and the control group (P = 0.077). The median scores of infant-focused anxiety of PBQ were significantly lower in WWE than in the control group, while the median scores of risk of abuse were significantly higher in the former than in the latter group. Scores of EPDS and PBQ didn’t significantly differ between groups of different seizure types, etiologies, and ASMs regimens. However, the EPDS scores were significantly higher in WWE, who experienced seizure exacerbation, than in others (<em>P</em> = 0.049). Also, EPDS scores were significantly correlated with PBQ scores. By linear regression analysis, the only independent predictor of EPDS score was seizure exacerbation during pregnancy.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The current postpartum screening report revealed that WWE are not at an increased risk of postpartum depression than healthy women. However, WWE who experience seizure exacerbations during their pregnancy need to be cautiously screened for postpartum depression, which may negatively impact mother-infant bonding. Strenuous efforts should be made to improve the mental health services for those women.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110213"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142817389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk factors affecting quality of life in children with epilepsy and their caregivers: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional online survey in Japan","authors":"Shin Okazaki ,&nbsp;Takuya Kumagai ,&nbsp;Shinichi Nishiuma ,&nbsp;Katsuhiko Iwasaki ,&nbsp;Kazuaki Yamamoto ,&nbsp;Kinya Kokubo ,&nbsp;Hiroomi Hayashi ,&nbsp;Eiji Nakagawa","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) in children with epilepsy and their caregivers, as well as the caregiver burden, through a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional online survey in Japan.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Eligible participants were caregivers of children (aged &lt; 18 years) diagnosed with epilepsy. Children’s QOL was measured using the daily living subset of the Japanese version of the Quality of Life in Children with Epilepsy (QOLCE-Js52). Caregiver QOL and burden were measured using the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the Short Form-8 (SF-8) and the short Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (J-ZBI_8).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Between March 2023 and May 2023, 1,147 caregivers completed the survey. Most caregivers (n = 1,144, 99.7 %) were parents. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) QOLCE-Js52 score was 68.3 (14.2). The mean (SD) scores of the PCS and MCS of the SF-8 were 46.5 (4.5) and 43.7 (5.1), respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the general Japanese population (p &lt; 0.001 for both means). The mean (SD) J-ZBI_8 score was 4.9 (7.1), with 13.2 % of caregivers scoring at least 13, a predictor of depression. Multivariable regression analysis showed that disability was a significant risk factor for lower QOL and increased caregiver burden (p &lt; 0.001). Frequent seizures, emergency transportation, and longer epilepsy duration were associated with poorer QOL in children and caregivers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Risk factors, such as emergency transport, may be mitigated by rescue medication in non-hospital settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110227"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142926800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How accurate are machine learning models in predicting anti-seizure medication responses: A systematic review","authors":"Ahmed Abdaltawab ,&nbsp;Lin-Ching Chang ,&nbsp;Mohammed Mansour ,&nbsp;Mohamad Koubeissi","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Importance</h3><div>Current epilepsy management protocols often depend on anti-seizure medication (ASM) trials and assessment of clinical response. This may delay the initiation of the ASM regimen that might optimally balance efficacy and tolerability for individual patients. Machine learning (ML) can offer a promising tool for efficiently predicting ASM response.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The objective of this review is to synthesize the available information about the effectiveness and limitations of ML models in predicting and classifying the response of patients with epilepsy to ASMs, and to assess the impact of various data inputs on prediction performance.</div></div><div><h3>Evidence Review</h3><div>We conducted a comprehensive search of studies utilizing ML models for ASM response prediction using PubMed and Scopus up until November 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The review included 37 studies. Various data types, including clinical information, brain MRI, EEG, and genetic data, are useful in predicting responses to ASMs. Tree-based ML algorithms and Support Vector Machines are the most used models. Reported results vary widely, with certain models achieving near-perfect accuracy and others performing similar to random classifiers. The review also highlights the limitations of this research field, especially concerning the quality and quantity of data.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and Relevance</h3><div>The findings indicate that while ML models show great promise in predicting ASM responses in epilepsy, further research is required to refine these models for practical clinical application. The review underscores both the potential of ML in advancing precision medicine in epilepsy management and the need for continued research to improve prediction accuracy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110212"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142823809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Screening for depression, anxiety, and suicidality in outpatients of a tertiary epilepsy center: How frequent are increased scores and what is recommended?","authors":"Anne Hagemann ,&nbsp;Izumi Kuramochi ,&nbsp;Christian G. Bien ,&nbsp;Christian Brandt","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Psychiatric comorbidities are frequent in people with epilepsy (PWE) or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), and the use of validated screening instruments to identify respective symptoms is recommended. Our aim was to investigate the recommendations resulting from routine screening for depression, anxiety and suicidality with the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) in the outpatient clinic of a tertiary epilepsy center.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We retrospectively analyzed NDDI-E and GAD-7 scores (German versions) of 264 outpatients at a tertiary epilepsy center and extracted recommendations regarding psychopathology from the outpatient letters.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The screening revealed a likely major depression (NDDI-E ≥17) in 15.2% of PWE (without PNES, 30/197) and an NDDI-E score ≥17 in 51.2% of patients with PNES ± epilepsy (21/41), moderate to severe symptoms of generalized anxiety (GAD-7 ≥10) in 20.3% of PWE (40/197) and 56.1% of patients with PNES (23/41), and a high risk of suicidality (NDDI-E item 4 ≥3) in 8.1% of PWE (16/197) and in 24.4% of patients with PNES (10/41). The most frequently given recommendations regarding depression or anxiety were a psychiatric/psychotherapeutic treatment for PWE and an admission to the psychotherapy ward of the epilepsy center for patients with PNES. No evidence for active suicidal tendencies was found in any of the patients with a positive screening for suicidality.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Routine screening with NDDI-E and GAD-7 for depression, anxiety and suicidality is efficient and feasible and leads to individual recommendations for further assessment and treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 110289"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143079056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uncovering language deficits in focal epilepsy: Beyond the limits of noun naming and verbal fluency","authors":"A.D. Reardon ,&nbsp;L. Gillinder ,&nbsp;D.A. Copland ,&nbsp;K.L. McMahon ,&nbsp;S.L.E. Brownsett","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110181","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110181","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>A range of language impairments have been reported in people with epilepsy both pre- and post-surgically, however language is not routinely comprehensively assessed in epilepsy clinics. When language is assessed, this is typically as part of a broader neuropsychological battery of assessment, often limited to tests of noun naming and/or verbal fluency, despite evidence to suggest these tests are not sufficiently sensitive to detect the often-subtle deficits present in chronic focal epilepsy. Many areas of language function, including the production of connected speech, have also not been adequately explored in this population, and research relating to subjective report of language and communication difficulties is limited. A more comprehensive assessment of language, which includes patient report, is required to determine the presence and extent of language impairment in people with focal epilepsy.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>The aim of the present study was to systematically investigate the prevalence and pattern of language impairment in a group of people with chronic focal epilepsy using a comprehensive aphasia battery and a patient reported outcome measure.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Language skills were assessed in 26 right-handed people with chronic focal epilepsy using the Comprehensive Aphasia test (CAT), in addition to standard clinical assessments of noun naming and verbal fluency. Participants’ self-report of their language and communication skills was also collected, using the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ).</div></div><div><h3>Outcomes and results</h3><div>85% of participants with focal epilepsy were impaired on one or more language subtests of the CAT. In contrast, only 15% of participants were impaired on tests of confrontation noun naming, and none were impaired on a test of verbal fluency. The CAT findings were supported by subjective data, with 82% of participants self-reporting a communication difficulty.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our results show that current approaches to language assessment are inadequate for identifying language impairments in people with focal epilepsy, and likely underestimate the prevalence of language impairment in this population. In particular, verb naming and picture description subtests revealed deficits across the majority of the sample, highlighting the need for more comprehensive assessment of language to be routinely conducted in this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 110181"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142784528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}