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Stress and epilepsy: the Gulf war experience
M Y Neufeld1, M Sadeh, D F Cohn
1Department of Neurology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.
Seizure
|June 1, 1994
Summary
This study investigated epilepsy seizure frequency during the Persian Gulf War. Acute emotional stress weakly affected epilepsy control in most adult patients, with only a few reporting increased seizures.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Epilepsy patients often report stress as a seizure trigger.
- Quantifying emotional stress and its impact on seizures is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between acute emotional stress and seizure frequency in adult epilepsy patients.
- To assess the impact of the Scud missile threat during the Persian Gulf War on epilepsy control.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was used to record seizure frequency in 100 adult epilepsy patients during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
- Patients' seizure history, seizure types, and potential contributing factors were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Eight patients reported an increased seizure frequency during the war.
- These patients were younger, with a majority showing generalized epileptic electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and generalized seizures.
- Seizures were directly linked to alarm sounds in only four patients; others had probable contributing factors like medication non-compliance or disturbed sleep.
Conclusions:
- Epilepsy control was only weakly affected by the acute external emotional stress factor in this patient series.
- While some younger patients with generalized epilepsy experienced increased seizures, the overall impact of war-related stress was limited.