Risk of Epilepsy in Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study

Objective: Several cross-sectional studies have reported a relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and epilepsy. However, the temporal association between PTSD and epilepsy has rarely been investigated. We hypothesized that the risk of developing epilepsy later in life would be higher in patients with PTSD than in those without PTSD. Methods: Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 6425 individuals with PTSD and 24,980 age-/sex-matched controls were enrolled between 2002 and 2009 in our study and followed up to the end of 2011. Those who developed epilepsy during the follow-up period were identified. Results: Individuals with PTSD had a higher incidence of developing epilepsy (2.65 versus 0.33 per 1000 person-years, p
Source: Psychosomatic Medicine - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research