Author
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kirkuk University
Abstract
Background: Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by seizures, or paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to excessive neuronal discharge. Psychiatric and cognitive disturbances are relatively common in epilepsy, especially in refractory epilepsy. Aim of study: The aim of the study is to detect the psychiatric disorders and their frequency in epileptic patients. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study consisted of 104 patients with idiopathic epilepsy; 60 males and 44 female, aged between 17-68 years, who were attending either private clinics or the Psychiatric Unit at Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk, between December 2012 and January 2014. Diagnoses of comorbid psychiatric disorders were done according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Results: The most frequent psychiatric disorders were anxiety disorders (59.64%) followed by sexual dysfunction in males (50%). Conclusion: This study reveals that those patients with epilepsy are at high risk of comorbidity of psychiatric disorders.
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