IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 17, Issue 01 Ver. VI January. (2018), PP 01-06 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-1701060106 www.iosrjournals.org 1 | Page Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Epilepsy *Dr.D.Padmavathi 1 , Dr.J.Sharada 2 , Dr.Bindu Menon 3 , Dr.C.Radha Krishna Raju 4 1 Dept. of Psychiatry. 1- Assistant Professor in ACSR Govt.Medical College, Nellore, 2 Assistant Professor in Government Medical College, Ananthapuramu 3 ,HOD Department of Neurology, Apollo Hospital, Nellore 4 Professor & HOD – Department of Psychiatry, ACSR Govt.Medical College, Nellore Corresponding author: Dr.J.Sharada, Asst.Professor, 1 Dept. of Psychiatry, Govt.Medical College, Anantapuram. Abstract Background: Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder in adults after Alzhiemer’s disease and stroke. Aim: To study the prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with epilepsy. Materials and Methods: Cross-Sectional Study of epileptic patients attending neurology OP department from 01.09.2010 to 30.08.2011. Results: Results showed high psychiatric morbidity especially depression and anxiety can occur co-morbidly in patients with epilepsy. Depression was associated significantly with duration of seizures and frequency of seizures per month and also predominantly with female sex. Keywords: DSM-IV axis 1 disorders, Epilepsy, Depression --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 22-12-2017 Date of acceptance: 09-01-2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder affecting about 40 million people around the world. One in 20 people in the general population have a seizure at some point in their lives and 1 in 200 have epilepsy [1]. Being a disorder of early onset, epilepsy has significant effects on the overall development of a person. Hence, early recognition and treatment of epilepsy is very important. On treatment with anti-epileptic drugs only 65 to 75 % of patients with epilepsy achieve adequate control of seizures [2].Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder in adults after Alzhiemer’s disease and stroke. In North America, the overall prevalence of epilepsy in adults is about 5 to 10 per 1000 population [3]. A prevalence rate of 1.28 to 4.7 per 1000 population has been reported from India [4-6].In pediatrics, epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder, affecting upto 1% of children under the age of 16[7].The most frequent psychiatric diagnosis reported in people with epilepsy include psychosis, neurosis, mood disorders (DSM-IV axis 1 disorders), personality disorders (DSM-IV axis 2 disorders) and behavioral problems [8]. The psychiatric symptoms can be classified according to their temporal relationship with seizure occurrence. They can be divided into ictal symptoms (related to the seizure itself) or inter ictal symptoms (independent of individual seizures). There is ample research and clinical evidence indicating that patients with epilepsy have psychological problems including psychiatric disorders, personality problems, aggression, cognitive and psychosocial difficulties more frequently than that are seen in general population [9,10] and in other neurological disorders. [11]. Generally the rates of psychological problems are higher in complex partial epilepsy upto 30 to 50% [12,13]. Available evidence indicates that rates of psychological problems increase further up to 50 to 80% in patients with intractable epilepsy, though the research in this area is limited [14,15]. II. Aim of The Study To study the prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with epilepsy. III. Material And Method 3.1 Type of Study: - Cross-Sectional Study of epileptic patients attending neurology OP department from 01.09.2010 to 30.08.2011.