Past suicide attempt linked to seizure risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A history of major depression
and a past suicide attempt seem to be tied to an increased risk
of seizures and epilepsy, according to the findings of a
population-based study conducted in Iceland.

Dr. Dale C. Hesdorffer of Columbia University in New York
and colleagues examined data for children 10 years of age or
older and adults with newly diagnosed seizures. Standardized
interviews were used to ascertain symptoms of major depression.

The study Included 324 seizure patients who were matched to
647 similar but unaffected “controls,” and the results are
published in the Annals of Neurology.

After factoring in age, sex, and cumulative alcohol intake
before the onset of depression, and other psychiatric
conditions, patients with a history of depression alone were 50
percent more likely to develop seizures than those with no
depressive symptoms.

Moreover, the likelihood of having seizures was 11 times
higher for patients with a history of attempted suicide alone,
and more than 3 times greater with a history of depression plus
an attempted suicide.

“There appears to be an underlying susceptibility to
epilepsy and major depression and suicidal behavior,”
Hesdorffer commented.

“We plan to follow-up with studies designed to see whether
the co-occurrence of these disorders is explained by shared
genetic susceptibility, and with studies that examine possible
common underlying neurotransmitter abnormalities,” he added.

SOURCE: Annals of Neurology, January 2006.