The relationship between epilepsy and schizophrenia has been proven for the first time
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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Scientists from Taiwan claim to have found a genetic link between epilepsy and schizophrenia.
In a published article of the journal Epilepsy, researchers described the genetic, neurobiological and environmental causative factors of epilepsy and schizophrenia.
The study was conducted from 1999 to 2008, which was attended by about 16 thousand people with epilepsy and schizophrenia. This group of people was compared to a control group of the same age and sex who did not suffer from epilepsy and schizophrenia.
Doctor-neurologist Mani Bagari said that such a study is the first, which demonstrates the connection between the development of epilepsy in patients with schizophrenia.
The results of the study showed that epilepsy was detected in 6.99 cases per 1000 people per year in a group of people with schizophrenia compared with 1.19 per 1000 people in the control group.
Accordingly, schizophrenia was detected in 6.99 cases per 1000 people per year in a group of people with epilepsy compared with 0.46 per 1000 people in the control group.
Scientists also found that the risk of schizophrenia was higher in men who suffered from epilepsy than women.
Dorort Ai-Ching Chow, associate professor of Taichung Medical University, said the study shows a reliable two-way link between epilepsy and schizophrenia. This relationship can be the result of the general pathogenesis of these diseases, including genetic predisposition (the presence of LGI1 or CNTNAP2 genes responsible for the development of seizures and psychoses) and exogenous factors (craniocerebral trauma, cerebral hemorrhages).