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Anxiety and Epilepsy: What Neurologists and Epileptologists Should Know

  • Epilepsy (CW Bazil, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Although there has been increasing recognition of psychiatric comorbidity in epilepsy, most research and attention in this area has focused on depression. However, comorbid anxiety in epilepsy is highly prevalent, affecting more than 40 % of patients in some reports. Many important outcomes are significantly impacted by anxiety in epilepsy, including quality of life, mortality, and seizure status. Recent evidence from epidemiologic studies suggests a bidirectional association of anxiety and epilepsy, and there is mounting evidence for possible common pathophysiology underlying anxiety and epilepsy. Despite this importance, anxiety is under-recognized and undertreated in clinical practice. A variety of anxiety symptoms are seen in epilepsy, including symptoms exclusively before, during or after seizures (peri-ictal anxiety), symptoms resembling primary anxiety disorders, and anxiety directly related to epilepsy or its treatment. Key therapeutic approaches include pharmacotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy for most forms of interictal anxiety and better seizure control for peri-ictal anxiety.

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Conflict of Interest

Heidi M. Munger Clary has received a small honorarium from The Neurology Report for preparing a CME review of an epilepsy course at the 2012 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting. She has also received travel accommodations from the American Epilepsy Society (Young Investigator Award, 2012, travel to 2012 AES Annual Meeting) and The Neurology Report (reimbursement of travel expenses for American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, 2012).

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Heidi M. Munger Clary

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  1. Heidi M. Munger Clary
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Correspondence to Heidi M. Munger Clary.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Epilepsy

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Munger Clary, H.M. Anxiety and Epilepsy: What Neurologists and Epileptologists Should Know. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 14, 445 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-014-0445-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-014-0445-9

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