title: Religious convictions in patients with epilepsy-associated affective disorders: a controlled study from a psychiatric acute department.
abstract: Patients with epilepsy often have different mood symptoms and behavioral trait characteristics compared to the non-epileptic population. In the present prospective study, we aimed to assess differences in behavioral trait characteristics between acutely admitted, psychiatric in-patients with epilepsy-associated depressive symptoms and gender/age-matched patients with major depression. Patients with epilepsy-associated depression had significantly higher scores for "religious convictions," "philosophical and intellectual interests" and "sense of personal destiny." These behavioral trait characteristics at admission or in clinical history should alert the psychiatrist and lead to closer examination for a possible convulsive disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, arne.e.vaaler@ntnu.no.
authors.forename: Arne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Vaaler
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kondziella
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morken
authors.forename: Valentina C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.forename: Olav M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Linaker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012069:Religion and Psychology