Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

A Multimodal Imaging- and Stimulation-based Method of Evaluating Connectivity-related Brain Excitability in Patients with Epilepsy
Published on: November 13, 2016
Psychiatric comorbidity in patients with epilepsy: a population-based study
Mohamad Karouni1, Subaneesan Arulthas, Pål G Larsson
1Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo University College, Pilestredet 50, 0167, Oslo, Norway.
Psychiatric comorbidity affects 32% of epilepsy patients, with higher antidepressant and antipsychotic use compared to the general population. This study highlights complex pharmacotherapy in epilepsy patients, informing national pharmacovigilance efforts.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Epilepsy frequently co-occurs with psychiatric disorders, yet treatment patterns and comorbidity extent are understudied.
- Existing methods for investigating psychiatric comorbidity in epilepsy patients are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in individuals with epilepsy.
- To examine the prescription patterns of psychotropic medications in epilepsy patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized anonymous prescription data from the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD) from 2004-2007.
- Analyzed data from nearly 190,000 patients, focusing on central nervous system (CNS)-active drugs, defined daily doses (DDDs), and reimbursement codes for psychiatric diagnoses.
Main Results:
- An estimated 32% of epilepsy patients exhibited psychiatric comorbidity.
- Antidepressant and antipsychotic use was significantly higher (3.4 and 5.8 times, respectively) in epilepsy patients compared to the general population.
- Pharmacotherapy was complex, with epilepsy patients often prescribed two to eight concomitant medications, including lamotrigine as the most common antiepileptic drug.
Conclusions:
- Provides a national estimate of 32% psychiatric comorbidity in epilepsy patients.
- Characterizes complex pharmacotherapy in this population.
- Offers valuable data for national pharmacovigilance regarding psychotropic drug use in epilepsy.
More Related Videos
09:57Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Published on: September 20, 2024
10:22Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy
Published on: December 6, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Epilepsy ll: Types
Seizures: Classification
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Seizures l: Introduction