Epilepsy and anxiety

Studies in the general population demonstrate that anxiety disorders are associated with impaired quality of life and function. Available evidence suggests that comorbid anxiety disorders are frequent among patients with epilepsy but that neither the interrelationships between them nor the impact of anxiety disorders on functional outcome is well studied. The study and management of anxiety disorders are further complicated by the occurrence of seizures, the temporal relationship between seizures and anxiety symptoms/syndromes, and the influence of antiepileptic drugs. Increased recognition of anxiety disorders among patients with epilepsy and evaluation of the potential impact of these disorders on functional outcome and the beneficial and detrimental effects of antiepileptic drugs in clinical practice are needed.     

Social anxiety disorder/social phobia: epidemiology, diagnosis, neurobiology, and treatment

Some anticipatory anxiety is expected on specific occasions such as giving a speech. However, some individuals have an excessive fear of such situations when they are under scrutiny, believing that their performance will cause them embarrassment or humiliation, frequently leading to deliberate avoidance of these situations. This disabling condition has been termed social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is common, with a lifetime prevalence of 2% to 5%, but is probably underreported. The sufferer often avoids seeking assistance, leading to comorbid mental disorders, greater disability, and an increased risk of suicide. Consequently, a high burden is placed on the patient's caregivers and on society. The diagnosis of social anxiety disorder is aided by the patient's history together with DSM-IV criteria. Research into the neurobiology of social anxiety disorder suggests a dysfunction of postsynaptic serotonin receptors and a hypersensitivity to challenge with caffeine, CO2, and pentagastrin. Neuroimaging studies suggest a dysfunction of the striatal presynaptic dopamine transporter in social anxiety disorder. Clear guidelines for the management of social anxiety disorder, including both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, are yet to be established. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) show the most promise for the future, while cognitive-behavioral therapy may also be helpful. In the meantime, physicians should treat social anxiety disorder promptly and aggressively.     

Social anxiety disorder: recent findings in the areas of epidemiology, etiology, and treatment

Social anxiety disorder is a common and chronic disorder that leads to substantial psychosocial impairment. The disorder occurs early in childhood, and is frequently comorbid with a variety of other psychiatric diagnoses like depression, other anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Given these serious implications of social anxiety disorder, early effective treatment is extremely important. Pharmacotherapy, with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and cognitive behavioral therapy are the first choice of treatments for social anxiety disorder. This paper reviews recent findings on the epidemiology, etiology, and treatment for social anxiety disorder, and highlights areas where future research should be directed.     

Epilepsy in patients with brain tumours: epidemiology, mechanisms, and management

Epilepsy is common in patients with brain tumours and can substantially affect daily life, even if the tumour is under control. Several factors affect the mechanism of seizures in brain tumours, including tumour type, tumour location, and peritumoral and genetic changes. Prophylactic use of antiepileptic drugs is not recommended, and potential interactions between antiepileptic and chemotherapeutic agents persuades against the use of enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs. Multidrug-resistance proteins prevent the access of antiepileptic drugs into brain parenchyma, which partly explains why seizures are frequently refractory to treatment. Lamotrigine, valproic acid, and topiramate are first-line treatments of choice; if insufficient, add-on treatment with levetiracetam or gabapentin can be recommended. On the basis of clinical studies, we prefer to start treatment with valproic acid, adding levetiracetam if necessary. Risks of cognitive side-effects with antiepileptic drugs can add to previous damage by surgery or radiotherapy, and therefore appropriate choice and dose of antiepileptic drug is crucial.     

Restless legs syndrome: diagnosis,epidemiology, classification and consequences

Neurological Sciences - Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor disorder characterised by a complaint of an almost irresistible urge to move the legs. RLS is diagnosed clinically by means of...     

Chronic fatigue syndrome: aetiology,diagnosis and treatment

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterised by intense fatigue, with duration of over six months and associated to other related symptoms. The latter include asthenia and easily induced tiredness that is not recovered after a night's sleep. The fatigue becomes so severe that it forces a 50% reduction in daily activities. Given its unknown aetiology, different hypotheses have been considered to explain the origin of the condition (from immunological disorders to the presence of post-traumatic oxidative stress), although there are no conclusive diagnostic tests. Diagnosis is established through the exclusion of other diseases causing fatigue. This syndrome is rare in childhood and adolescence, although the fatigue symptom per se is quite common in paediatric patients. Currently, no curative treatment exists for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. The therapeutic approach to this syndrome requires a combination of different therapeutic modalities. The specific characteristics of the symptomatology of patients with chronic fatigue require a rapid adaptation of the educational, healthcare and social systems to prevent the problems derived from current systems. Such patients require multidisciplinary management due to the multiple and different issues affecting them. This document was realized by one of the Interdisciplinary Work Groups from the Institute for Rare Diseases, and its aim is to point out the main social and care needs for people affected with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For this, it includes not only the view of representatives for different scientific societies, but also the patient associations view, because they know the true history of their social and sanitary needs. In an interdisciplinary approach, this work also reviews the principal scientific, medical, socio-sanitary and psychological aspects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.     

The developmental epidemiology of anxiety disorders: phenomenology, prevalence, and comorbidity

This article argues that the quality of diagnostic tools used to measure anxiety disorders in children and adolescents has improved enormously in the past few years. As a result, prevalence estimates are less erratic, understanding of comorbidity is increasing, and the role of impairment as a criterion for "caseness" is considered more carefully. Several of the instruments developed for epidemiologic research are now being used in clinical settings. Further integration of laboratory methods and clinical and epidemiologic ideas will benefit children with anxiety disorders and their families.     

Status epilepticus in children: aetiology, treatment, and outcome

This retrospective study includes 65 children treated for status epilepticus at Tampere University Hospital in Finland. Aetiology of the condition, effectiveness of the treatment protocol, including short barbiturate anaesthesia to prevent prolonged status epilepticus episodes, and neurological outcome were evaluated. Symptomatic aetiology was present in 40% of status epilepticus episodes, and 37% of episodes were induced by fever. Neurological sequelae secondary to status epilepticus were identified in 15% of the cases and subsequent epilepsy in 23% during the mean follow-up time of 3.6 years. There were no status epilepticus-related deaths. The cut-off point of status epilepticus duration for significant risk for permanent neurological sequelae was 2 hours. Our treatment protocol, including short barbiturate anaesthesia in refractory cases, was able to abort status epilepticus in less than 2 hours in 75% of cases. We conclude that early and prompt use of barbiturate anaesthesia should be encouraged, and may explain our low morbidity figures.     

The epidemiology of anxiety

In a literature review the best estimates for prevalence of anxiety disorders were determined to be 3% for panic, 6% for agoraphobia, 3% for generalized anxiety, 2.5% for simple phobia, and 1.5% for social phobia. Anxiety disorders tended to have a 2:1 female preponderance. Age of onset was 17 years for social and simple phobia, 22 years for generalized anxiety, and 26 years for panic and agoraphobia. Simple phobia was found to respond best to behavioral treatment and to have a good prognosis. Panic and agoraphobia were found to be familial, to have a chronic course, and to respond best to a combination of pharmacological and behavioral treatment.     

Mild cognitive impairment: prevalence,prognosis, aetiology,and treatment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a recently described syndrome that is currently thought of as a transition phase between healthy cognitive ageing and dementia. Although this notion seems to be reasonable, the general nature of the term MCI--including its many definitions--makes accurate accounting of the prevalence, prognosis, and potential benefit from treatment somewhat difficult. The differences in cognitive profile and clinical progression among individuals with MCI are generally recognised. However, recent evidence also suggests that the aetiological heterogeneity among individuals with MCI could be greater than previously reported. For example, cerebrovascular disease seems to be underestimated as a potential cause of MCI. In this review, I attempt to recognise workable definitions of MCI to discuss the prevalence, pathophysiology, prognosis, and possibilities for treatment of this disorder.     

Epilepsy in Qatar: Causes,treatment, and outcome

ObjectiveQatar is a small country on the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its population is a unique mixture of native citizens and immigrants. We aimed to describe the features of epilepsy in Qatar as such information is virtually lacking from the current literature.MethodsWe summarized information retrospectively collected from 468 patients with epilepsy seen through the national health system adult neurology clinic.ResultsEpilepsy was classified as focal in 65.5% of the cases and generalized in 23%. Common causes of epilepsy were as follows: stroke (9%), hippocampal sclerosis (7%), infections (6%), and trauma (6%). Sixty-six percent of patients were receiving a single antiepileptic drug, with levetiracetam being the most frequently prescribed drug (41% of subjects). When the patients were divided by geographical background, remote infections caused the epilepsy in 15% of Asian patients (with neurocysticercosis accounting for 10%) but only in 1% of Qatari and 3% of Middle East/North African subjects (with no reported neurocysticercosis) (p < 0.001). Cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative etiologies were the most prominent in Qataris, accounting for 14% (p = 0.005) and 4% (p = 0.03) of cases, respectively. The choice of antiepileptic drugs varied also according to the regional background, but the seizure freedom rate did not, averaging at 54% on the last clinic visit.SignificanceTo our knowledge, this is the first detailed information about epilepsy in Qatar. The geographical origin of patients adds to the heterogeneity of this disorder. Neurocysticercosis should be in the etiological differential diagnosis of epilepsy in patients coming from Southeast Asian countries, despite the fact that it is not endemic to Qatar. The choice of antiepileptic drugs is influenced by the availability of individual agents in the patients’ native countries but had no bearing on the final seizure outcome.     

Multiple sclerosis: genetic versus environmental aetiology: epidemiology in Israel updated

The incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) were compared, controlling for age, in native-born Israelis of different origins and in immigrants to Israel. This comparison was carried out in two populations, countrywide and in Jerusalem. In the countrywide population, ascertainment was based mainly on hospitalizations; it included 252 patients who were native-born and 150 who had immigrated from Africa-Asia (AA immigrants). The 89 MS patients of Jerusalem also included patients diagnosed in outpatient clinics. In native-born Israelis whose father was born in Europe-America (I-EA), the incidence and prevalence of MS were found to be as high as or even higher than that found previously in immigrants from Europe-America. Among native-born Israelis whose father was born in Africa or Asia (I-AA), the yearly age-adjusted incidence and prevalence rates were found to be 1.4- to 1.8-fold higher than among AA immigrants, pointing to environmental factors. The incidence and prevalence rates in the I-EA were 1.2- to 1.6-fold higher than in the I-AA, pointing to genetic factors. These results seem to point to both environmental and genetic factors in the aetiology of MS. Further research is needed, however, to disentangle the genetic factors from possible environmental differences in the two ethnic groups.     

The epidemiology of anxiety disorders: a review

Epidemiological studies show that anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and an important cause of functional impairment; they constitute the most frequent menial disorders in the community. Phobias are the most common with the highest rates for simple phobia and agoraphobia. Panic disorder (PD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are less frequent (2% lifetime prevalence), and there are discordant results for social phobia (SP) (2%-16%) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (3%-30%). These studies underline the importance of an accurate definition of disorders using unambiguous diagnostic and assessment criteria. The boundaries between anxiety disorders are often ill defined and cases may vary widely according to the definition applied. Simple phobia, agoraphobia, and GAD are more common in vmrnen, while there is no gender différence for SP, PD, and OCD, Anxiety disorders are more common in separated, divorced, and widowed subjects; their prevalence is highest in subjects aged 25 to 44 years and lowest in subjects aged >65 years. The age of onset of the different types of anxiety disorders varies widely: phobic disorders begin early in life, whereas PD occurs in young adulthood. Clinical - rather than epidemiological - studies have examined risk factors such as life events, childhood experiences, and familial factors. Anxiety disorders have a chronic and persistent course, and are frequently comorbid with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and substance abuse. Anxiety disorders most frequently precede depressive disorders or substance abuse, Comorbid diagnoses may influence risk factors like functional impairment and quality of life. It remains unclear whether certain anxiety disorders (eg, PD) are risk factors for suicide. The comorbidity of anxiety disorders has important implications for assessment and treatment and the risk factors should be explored. The etiology, natural history, and outcome of these disorders need to be further addressed in epidemiological studies.     

Developmental epidemiology of anxiety disorders

This review focuses on developmental aspects in the epidemiology of anxiety disorders including prevalence, onset, natural course, longitudinal outcome, and correlates and risk factors, with focus on childhood through young adulthood. Anxiety disorders are frequent and early-emerging conditions. They may remit spontaneously; however, the same or other mental disorders often recur. Although risk factors have been identified, more work is needed to identify the most powerful predictors for onset and the progression to more complex forms of psychopathology and to understand the underlying mechanisms and interactions. This identification is crucial to facilitate research prevention, early interventions, and treatment programs.     

The epidemiology of anxiety disorders

Recent data on the epidemiology of anxiety disorders is presented with a focus on studies which have used the Diagnostic Interview Schedule or a similar instrument which generates DSM-III diagnoses. Data on the prevalence, incidence, onset, associated risk factors, morbidity and health service use of the DSM-III anxiety disorders are presented. The rates for the different types of disorders tend to be similar across different sites and studies except for simple phobia and generalized anxiety disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder is far more prevalent than expected. There is a unexpectedly high rate of health service utilization and attempted suicide associated with panic disorder. The patterns of different rates for different disorders, different patterns of onset and associated risk factors are partially confirmatory of the DSM-III classification, particularly the assumption of discontinuity between panic disorder, agoraphobia and generalized anxiety disorder     

Cyclic vomiting syndrome: epidemiology,diagnosis, and treatment

Cyclic-vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of nausea and vomiting. Although once thought to be a pediatric disorder, there has been a considerable increase in recognition of CVS in adults. The exact pathogenesis is unknown and several theories have been proposed. Migraine and CVS share a similar pathophysiology as suggested by several studies. Since there are no specific biomarkers available for this disorder, physicians should rely on Rome criteria for the diagnosis. Due to the lack of randomized control trials, the treatment of CVS is primarily empirical.