Depression is the most common co-morbid condition in epilepsy, affecting between 20-55% of patients with refractory epilepsy and 3-9% of patients with well-controlled seizures. The combination of epilepsy and affective disorders has been associated in multiple studies with diminished quality of life, increased healthcare utilization, and increased suicidal ideation and attempts. The cause of this co-morbidity is unknown. This co-morbidity may be due, in part, to a psychological reaction to having a chronic, stigmatizing disorder. However, another possibility is a shared genetic susceptibility to both disorders. The broad goal of this study is to test this shared genetic etiology hypothesis. Based on prior research, I hypothesize that the lifetime prevalence of affective disorders is higher in unaffected siblings from familial epilepsy pedigrees than in the general population. The hypotheses will be tested through a series of genetic epidemiological studies to distinguish between reactive effects and shared genetic susceptibility. I will also examine the co- morbidity of epilepsy and affective disorders within clinically defined subgroups of epilepsy;in particular, I will test the hypothesis that risk of affective disorders is increased in primary generalized epilepsy, as well as in focal epilepsy. Reliable and valid measures will be used to assess a lifetime prevalence of affective disorders. Identifying that shared etiology accounts for some of the co-morbidity between epilepsy and affective disorders could help identify individuals at high-risk for both disorders, allow for early intervention, and provide a model for understanding epilepsy neurobiology. Positive results may also provide an impetus for improved assessment and management of affective disorders by neurologists treating people with epilepsy. Future studies, using the refined phenotype definitions in the specific subtypes, could also be designed to locate genes. The goal of this study is consistent with the NINDS """"""""Benchmarks"""""""" for Epilepsy Research: """"""""Continue the progress of identifying the genes predisposing to epilepsy."""""""" It also parallels several active Program Announcements from NINDS: (PA Number: PA-03-169) entitled """"""""Basic and Translational Research in Emotion"""""""";(PA Number: PA-02-111) entitled """"""""Self-Management Strategies Across Chronic Diseases"""""""";and (PA Number: PAS-03-092) entitled """"""""Gene Discovery For Complex Neurological And Neurobehavioral Disorders.""""""""

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23NS054981-03
Application #
7651096
Study Section
NST-2 Subcommittee (NST)
Program Officer
Fureman, Brandy E
Project Start
2007-09-30
Project End
2012-06-30
Budget Start
2009-07-01
Budget End
2010-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$151,914
Indirect Cost
Name
Rutgers University
Department
Genetics
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
001912864
City
New Brunswick
State
NJ
Country
United States
Zip Code
08901
Insel, Beverly J; Ottman, Ruth; Heiman, Gary A (2018) Mood disorders in familial epilepsy: A test of shared etiology. Epilepsia 59:431-439
Choi, Hyunmi; Wong, John B; Mendiratta, Anil et al. (2011) Numeracy and framing bias in epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 20:29-33
Choi, Hyunmi; Heiman, Gary A; Munger Clary, Heidi et al. (2011) Seizure remission in adults with long-standing intractable epilepsy: an extended follow-up. Epilepsy Res 93:115-9
Heiman, Gary A; Kamberakis, Kay; Gill, Richard et al. (2010) Evaluation of depression risk in LGI1 mutation carriers. Epilepsia 51:1685-90
Choi, Hyunmi; Carlino, Richard; Heiman, Gary et al. (2009) Evaluation of duration of epilepsy prior to temporal lobe epilepsy surgery during the past two decades. Epilepsy Res 86:224-7