Epilepsy and migraine – What are the connections?
For a long time, research underestimated the connection between migraine and epilepsy. It was only a few years ago that research and understanding of the exact interaction of these two diseases began.Migraine can sometimes precede an epileptic seizure and is then described as aura. It is even suspected that migraine itself can act as a trigger for an epileptic seizure. It is also believed that epilepsies associated with a severe migraine development are due to a focal point located in the area of the front temporal lobe. Thus, the questioning of a possible migraine, in the context of the anamnesis (history of the disease), plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis.
Epilepsy and depression – What are the connections?
There are now many studies that prove that the probability of the occurrence of depression in epilepsy patients is significantly increased compared to the rest of the population. This fact can be attributed to several causes. On the one hand, the disease of epilepsy is associated with a great deal of mental stress for many of those affected, as they are always afraid of having another seizure. In addition, many drugs from the anti-epileptic drug series have the side effects that they can have a very dampening effect on the mind and thus also increase the risk of developing depression. New research has now also shown that in some cases depression is also due to brain damage, which is also a cause of epilepsy, which is an additional reason for the increased risk in patients suffering from symptomatic epilepsy.
Is epilepsy curable?
In the treatment of epilepsy, a basic distinction must be made between two different therapeutic goals. The basic goal of any epilepsy treatment is to achieve freedom from seizures. This is achieved when patients have not suffered any new seizures within two years.
Today, this goal can be achieved in about 80% of patients. The exact type of epilepsy is the most important factor in determining the prognosis for treatment. A cure for epilepsy can be assumed if the patients have slowly stopped taking their medication and still remain seizure-free.
However, a cure is only possible for a few forms of epilepsy. The best chances are given to those forms of epilepsy which manifested themselves during childhood and are not accompanied by major brain damage. The chances of a cure for epilepsy that has not manifested itself until adulthood are considered extremely low. Thus, most patients have to take drug prophylaxis throughout their lives in order to remain seizure-free.
