A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Psychiatric and Behavioural Disorders in Children with Epilepsy (ILAE Task Force Report): Epilepsy and psychosis in children and teenagers




AuthorsFrank Besag, Rochelle Caplan, Albert Aldenkamp, David W. Dunn, Giuseppe Gobbi, Matti Sillanpää

Publication year2016

JournalEpileptic Disorders

Volume18

IssueSuppl 1

First page S31

Last pageS36

Number of pages6

ISSN1294-9361

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1684/epd.2016.0814

Web address http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1684/epd.2016.0814/full


Abstract

Psychosis related to epilepsy or antiepileptic treatment can occur in teenagers and very rarely in children. Postictal, interictal and antiepileptic-drug-induced psychosis have all been reported in young people. Whether ictal psychosis occurs in this age group remains open to debate. Neuronal antibody encephalitis such as anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis can present with seizures and psychosis, both of which can resolve with prompt, appropriate immunotherapy. In addition, there have been several reports in which the terms psychosis or psychotic features have been used loosely to describe behavioural disturbance in children with epilepsy; in these cases there have apparently been no diagnostic features of psychosis, implying that these terms should not have been used. The management of epilepsy-related psychosis in young people is similar to that in adults. Antipsychotic medication should not be withheld if it is needed on clinical grounds. If the psychosis has been induced by antiepileptic medication then a medication review is necessary.



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