The burden of psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy

Jay A. Salpekar, MD, FAES, Kennedy Krieger Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, shares insights on the impact of psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common comorbid condition affecting children with epilepsy, with approximately 14% of children with ADHD developing seizures. Mood disorders and anxiety are also common, both in children and adults, and are associated with worsened epilepsy outcomes. A seizure focus in the temporal lobe is one of the key risk factors for psychiatric comorbidities. Although psychosocial stressors are likely to contribute, intrinsic characteristics of seizure disorders may also drive the expression of these conditions. Treating psychiatric comorbidities has important implications for outcome and quality of life. This interview took place at the American Epilepsy Society (AES) Annual Meeting 2022 in Nashville, TN.

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