[Research and quality control at a neuropsychiatric epilepsy clinic]

Quality management in German health care services is demanded by law. If a monitoring of treatment results using scientifically established scores is performed as a part of quality management, the data may also be used for research on the course and the outcome of chronic disease and even for basic research. Using a multimodal therapy monitoring on a neuropsychiatric ward for patients with refractory epilepsy it could be shown that comprehensive treatment strategies were able to enhance cognitive abilities, mood and coping-strategies. The introduction of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e. g. citalopram, sertraline) did not result in an increased burden of seizures. Interesting for understanding the multiple causes of depression was the finding that folic acid serum levels in the lower normal range or below were associated with a higher risk of depressive mood.