The Relation of Epilepsy Type with Depression and Anxiety in Children

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the current study was to determine affective disorders (anxiety and depression) in children with epilepsy and assess the role of epilepsy type.

Methods: The study included 56 children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (26 girls, 30 boys, aged 6-16), 47 children with self-limited focal epilepsy (22 girls, 25 boys, aged 6-16) and 78 healthy age-, gender-, and education matched children (31 girls, 47 boys). Seizure type, seizure frequency, and duration of epilepsy were recorded. All participants completed extensive baseline neuropsychological questionnaires that included Kovac Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIc).

Results: Children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy had higher depression, state and trait anxiety scores than healthy controls (depression scores: 9.07±7.01 vs 5.20±2.72, p=0.024, state anxiety scores: 37.53±9.34 vs 31.30±6.40, p=0.014, trait anxiety scores: 37.78±9.71 vs 33.23±5.67, p=0.032). Depression, state and trait anxiety scores were significantly higher in children with self-limited focal epilepsy than healthy controls (depression scores: 8.06±4.93 vs 5.20±2.72, p=0.028, state anxiety scores: 37.91±8.21 vs 31.30±5.67, p=0.009, trait anxiety scores: 36.74±9.703 vs 33.23±5.67, p=0.045). We found no significant differences in depression or anxiety scores between idiopathic generalized epilepsy and self-limited focal epilepsy groups. No correlation was found between seizure frequency and scale scores.

Conclusion: Our findings bring attention to the increased risks of affective disturbance in pediatric epilepsy. The presence of depression and anxiety in children with epilepsy had no association with epilepsy type and seizure frequency. Therefore, we did not identify epilepsy type as a predictor factor of affective disturbance.