Nearly One in Five Adult Epilepsy Patients Have ADHD Symptoms

A new study published in the journal Epilepsia, conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, reveals a striking prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms among epileptic adults. The wide-scale survey reported that ADHD symptoms were four-times more likely to occur in diagnosed epileptics than in other populations, occurring more frequently than other commonly associated conditions. The author of the study stated, “Physicians who treat epilepsy often attribute depression, anxiety, reduced quality of life and psychosocial outcomes to the effects of seizures, antiepileptic therapies and underlying central nervous system conditions. Our findings suggest that ADHD may also be playing a significant role. However, we don’t know yet if ADHD in epilepsy is synonymous with ADHD in the general population, which is often responsive to treatment. As a next step, we need to validate measures to screen for ADHD specifically in epilepsy and clarify the nature of ADHD symptoms in adults with epilepsy. This will lay the foundation for future trials of treatments that offer the promise of rendering major improvements in the quality of life of adult epilepsy patients.” To learn more about this study, click here.