Depression, epilepsy and suicide linked

NEW YORK, Oct 10, 2005 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Columbia University scientists have found evidence the brain dysfunction that underlies epilepsy may also determine whether people are at risk for suicide.

"For reasons that are not understood, depression both increases the risk for developing epilepsy and is also common among people with epilepsy who experience many seizures," said lead author Dale Hesdorffer and colleagues at Columbia's Gertrude Sergievsky Center.

It's commonly been assumed difficulties associated with having epilepsy could provoke depression, and in some cases, an increased risk of suicide. But the authors say it's harder to explain that people who develop depression have a higher risk of later experiencing a first epileptic seizure.

Researchers found a history of depression increased the risk of epilepsy but also that people with epilepsy are four times more likely to have attempted suicide before ever having a seizure.

The study is detailed online in the Annals of Neurology.

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