A study of epilepsy-related psychosis

Abstract

The association of epilepsy and psychosis is studied. Among the 500 patients of epilepsy evaluated, there were 12 patients, 8 males and 4 females with epilepsy-related psychosis. Their average age was 38 years. The interval between the age of onset of epilepsy and psychotic features was 9 years. Complex partial seizures were present in 7 patients and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizure was present in 1 patient. Four patients had post-ictal psychosis, 7 had acute interictal psychosis and 1 patient had chronic psychosis. The inter-ictal and chronic psychoses were schizophreniform whereas the post-ictal psychoses were not. EEG showed a temporal focus in 7 patients with complex partial seizures and an extra-temporal focus was identified in 4 out of the other 5 patients. Imaging (CT scan/MRI) revealed abnormalities in 10 patients. This study attempts to define the characteristics of psychoses occurring in epileptics.