Psychiatric Controversies in Epilepsy (Electronic book text)

This reference presents controversial clinical issues of the psychiatric aspects of epilepsy. By exploring the overlapping and sometimes opposing treatments of this patient population by psychiatry and neurology specialties, the book seeks to provide practitioners with insight into how to offer better care. It explores the reasons behind the poor communication between psychiatrists and neurologists and suggests potential remedies to this important problem. A high priority is placed on identifying the causes behind the high rate of comorbidity between epilepsy and mood, anxiety, psychotic and attention deficit disorders, and a specific review of the evidence of common pathogenic mechanisms that may be operant in epilepsy and these psychiatric disorders is included. Several chapters are devoted to rectify common misunderstandings of the use of psychotropic drugs in patients with epilepsy, including the use of antidepressant and central nervous system stimulants. By bridging the divide between psychiatry and neurology, this book is both illuminating and informative to anyone involved in the treatment of patients with epilepsy.