Monday July 3, 2006 13:30-15:00 Poster Session 1 Psychiatry

Abstract

Abstract 1 C. Helmstaedter, 2 K. Hollmann, 2 J. Hennig, and 1 C. Elger ( 1 University Clinic of Epileptology Bonn, Germany , 2 Department of Psychology, Justus Liebig University, Gießen, Germany ) Purpose: Since Kraepelin (1923) the question of a relationship between epilepsy and personality is a recurring issue in epileptology. This study evaluated this issue in patients with focal symptomatic epilepsy before and after epilepsy surgery. Method: 151 patients were evaluated before and one year after epilepsy surgery. Dependent measures were 4 scales (organic psycho-syndrome, intro-extraversion, neuroticism, addiction) and 21 subscales of a personality inventory for epilepsy patients, which was standardised with 300 healthy subjects. Independent measures were focus localisation, pathology, AED, onset & duration of epilepsy, demographic variables, and seizure outcome. Results: Introversion was the major problem in the epilepsy group (38%), followed by 28% with elevated/lowered neuroticism scores, 16% with hints of an organic psycho-syndrome, and 10% with elevated addiction scores. Gender predicted neuroticism, mesial temporal lobe epilepsy introversion. Follow-up analysis indicated an effect of surgery on neuroticism and an interaction effect of seizure control by surgery on organic psycho-syndrome scores. Subscale analysis revealed a differential effect of seizure control on personality change dependent on the side of surgery. Right TLE patients reported decrease of anxiety, vegetative symptoms, somatisation, and external control, left TLE patients reported emotional stabilisation and improved impetus. Conclusion: Introversion appears as a frequent trait particularly in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuroticism or a psycho-organic syndrome are less common and appear more state dependent. Postoperative changes dependent on seizure outcome indicate hemisphere specific release effects after temporal lobe surgery.