Depression is recognized as more frequent psychiatric disorder in epilepsy patients with significant impact on their health-related quality of life.

To analyze the occurrence and clinical particularities of different types of interictal depression in epilepsy patients.

One hundred and fourteen epilepsy patients with interictal depression were assessed with a clinical interview and Hamilton depression and anxiety rating scales. Diagnostic criteria of ICD-10 and of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) were used.

A total of 45.6% of patients met ILAE criteria of inerictal dysforic disorder (IDD) with predominance of depressive mood, irritability, fear and atypical pain. All patients had chronic epilepsy with specific epileptic personality changes. Comorbid adjustment disorders (depressive and anxious-depressive reactions) were diagnosed in 27.2% of patients. The most frequent trigger situations were: family problems, serious illness, unemployment, financial difficulties. In more than half of patients were registered specific personality changes whose severity was in inverse ratio with trauma severity. A total of 18.4% of patients met criteria of comorbid affective disorder (depressive and bipolar) with some specific clinical traits due to personality changes. In 8.8% of patients, anticonvulsant-induced depression was observed; it was clinically simple, resolved after offending medication withdrawal.

Observed depressive disorders were heterogeneous: comorbid or attributed to epilepsy or its treatment. The most frequent condition was IDD. Specific personality changes may contribute to higher susceptibility and development of psychogenic depression. We emphasize the importance of treatment history (possibility of anticonvulsant-induced depression).

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.