Brain Abnormalities Seen in Epilepsy Patients With Psych Comorbidities

TUESDAY, Sept. 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Epilepsy patients with versus without psychiatric comorbidities have a higher proportion of abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalogram findings, according to a study published online Sept. 22 in The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.

Yixin Bao, from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University in China, and colleagues examined psychiatric comorbidities among epilepsy patients. Seventy patients were included in the study and were classified as having either epilepsy with psychiatric comorbidities or epilepsy without psychiatric comorbidities. Cognitive function assessments, psychiatric scales measuring anxiety and depression, 24-hour long-term video-electroencephalogram monitoring, and epilepsy-specific magnetic resonance imaging sequences were integrated into the study.

The researchers observed no significant intergroup differences in cognitive function scores. However, a significantly higher prevalence of structural brain abnormalities and increased occurrence of interictal epileptiform discharges were seen in epilepsy patients with versus without psychiatric comorbidities.

“Epilepsy patients with psychiatric comorbidities show more brain abnormalities and epileptic discharges but no significant cognitive decline, highlighting the need for comprehensive evaluations and dynamic monitoring for early intervention,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text