Abstract Details

Title Effect of Seizure Auras on Mood in Epilepsy: the ESAME Survey

Topic Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG)

Presentation(s) P1 - Poster Session 1 (5:30 PM-6:30 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 6-014

Objective

To determine the whether the presence of seizure auras is related to depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in persons with epilepsy (PWE).

Background Psychiatric comorbidity with epilepsy is common. Sensory and experiential auras at the onset of focal onset seizures may affect the patient’s uncertainty and fear associated with epilepsy and the patient’s quality of life. Auras might reduce that uncertainty, or increase apprehension at the onset of seizure activity. We investigated whether there is an association between auras and psychiatric symptoms in PwE.

Design/Methods Anonymous survey of patients attending the UConn Health Neurology Clinic who self-identify as having epilepsy. Forty open and close-ended questions addressed demographics, seizure/aura characteristics and headache auras. Psychiatric and QoL screens included PHQ-9, GAD-7, PRIME and QOLIE-10. The study was approved as exempt research by the UConn Health IRB.

Results The first 30 responses were reviewed. Median age was 33; 14 were women. Seizures had been present for a mean of 12.7 years. Four patients reported non-epileptic seizures in addition to epilepsy. Reported seizure types included generalized (8), focal (3), other (3) and “don’t know” (12). 22/30 (73%) reported an aura prior to their seizure. 15/22 (68%) reported an aura most of the time or every time prior to a seizure, and 18/22 (82%) reported auras without seizures. 9/22 (41%) reported they could sometimes prevent seizures from happening after an aura. 12/21 (57%) were more anxious a seizure would occur after an aura, while 17/21 (81%) reported that auras were sometimes helpful. Presence of an aura did not correlate with PHQ-9, GAD7, PRIME or QOLIE-10 scores.

Conclusions Aura experiences were common in our epilepsy clinic population, both prior to and independent of seizures. Auras did not correlate with screening indicators of depression, anxiety, psychosis or epilepsy-related quality of life.

Authors/Disclosures
Kristin Bumsch (UConn School of Medicine) PRESENTER	Kristin Bumsch has nothing to disclose.
Subhendu Rath, MBBS (Virginia Commonwealth University)	Dr. Rath has nothing to disclose.
Jose A. Montes-Rivera, MD, FAAN (UConn Health)	Dr. Montes-Rivera has nothing to disclose.
Marie C. Eugene, DO, MSHPE, FAAN (University of Connecticut Health Center)	Dr. Eugene has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
L J. Greenfield, Jr., MD, PhD, FAAN (UConn Health Center)	Dr. Greenfield has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care.

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