Citation

Dimitriadis K, Pfefferkorn T, Noachtar S. BMJ Case Rep. 2014; 2014: e2013-201149.

Affiliation

Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bcr-2013-201149

PMID

24827645

Abstract

Depression as well as fear, joy and anger have been described as the semiological features of focal epileptic seizures. When emotions present as the sole symptoms of epileptic seizures, they may easily be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder. We describe a patient with affective focal status epilepticus, secondary to limbic encephalitis, in which depression was the only clinical manifestation. Through EEG correlates the epileptic nature of depression could be proven. Furthermore, we discuss the association between epilepsy and depression, as well as the link between ictal depression and suicidal rates.

Language: en