New Insights into Association Between Dementia and Seizures Reported

Research presented at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society provided new insights into the association between dementia and seizures. Researchers found that individuals with dementia who experienced seizures had significantly higher rates of cognitive and functional impairment and died much earlier than seizure-free dementia patients. In addition, this population shared other characteristics, including genetic mutations associated with dementia; a history of previous stroke, traumatic brain injury, or depression; and lower educational attainment. 

In this study, lead investigator Dr. Ifrah Zawar and her team analyzed 16 years of prospective data collected from 39 Alzheimer disease centers involving more than 26,425 patients. Previously published rates of dementia patients experiencing seizures varied widely (between 1.5% to 64%) due to limitations of self-reporting. Less than 2% (374) of patients included in this study reported experiencing seizures. Those with dementia who experienced seizures scored worse on the mini-mental exam and had poorer functional assessment scores with respect to activities of daily living than individuals without reported seizure activity. Although previous studies have documented an association between seizures and worsening cognition in those with dementia, this is the first study to report on function---an important consideration given the caregiver burden associated with this outcome. On average, dementia patients with seizures died 6 years earlier than seizure-free patients. 

Dr. Zawar stresses that this study highlights the importance of recognizing seizures early, how seizures continue to be underreported in multiple settings, and that “additional research is needed to clarify the relationship between various dementia types and seizure types.”