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Psychiatric Symptom Patterns of Chronic Epileptics Attending a Neurological Clinic: A Controlled Investigation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

John Kogeorgos ,
Peter Fonagy  and
D. F. Scott
John Kogeorgos
Affiliation:
Section of Neurological Sciences, The London Hospital, Whitechapel, London E1 1BB
Peter Fonagy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University College, London WC1
D. F. Scott
Affiliation:
EEG Department, The London Hospital
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Summary

The psychiatric morbidity of chronic epileptic out-patients unknown to psychiatric agencies was assessed using two questionnaire measures of psychopathology (GHQ and CCEI). Nearly half of the epileptics were classified as probable psychiatric cases. Psychiatric morbidity was both more prevalent and more severe in this group than in a comparison group of chronic neurological out-patients. Depression, anxiety and hysterical symptomatology were the commonest characteristics of psychiatrically impaired epileptics. The type and severity of epilepsy were found to influence both the degree and pattern of psychiatric morbidity. Contrary to previous findings, age of onset had no relation to psychopathology.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 140 , Issue 3 , March 1982 , pp. 236 - 243
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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