title: Clinical correlates of memory complaints during AED treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate clinical correlates of memory complaints (MC) during anti-epileptic drug (AEDs) treatment in adults with epilepsy with special attention to the role of depression, using user-friendly standardized clinical instruments which can be adopted in any outpatient setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a consecutive sample of adult outpatients with epilepsy assessed with the Neurological Disorder Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDIE), the Adverse Event Profile (AEP) and the Emotional Thermometer (ET) were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a total sample of 443 patients, 28.4% reported MC as 'always' a problem. These patients were less likely to be seizure free (18.3% vs 34.3%; P < 0.001), had a high number of previous AED trials (4 vs 3; P < 0.001) and high AEP total scores (49 vs 34.2; P < 0.001). There was no correlation with specific AED type or combination. Depression was the major determinant with a 2-fold increased risk (95%CI 1.15-3.86; P = 0.016). When depression was already known and under treatment, patients with MC were less likely to be in remission from depression despite antidepressant treatment (11.9% vs 1.6% P < 0.001). Among patients without depression, those reporting MC presented with significantly high scores for depression (3.3 vs 2; t = 3.07; P = 0.003), anxiety (4.5 vs 2.7; t = 4.43; P < 0.001), anger (3 vs 2; t = 2.623; P = 0.009) and distress (3.8 vs 2.2; t = 4.027; P < 0.001) than those without MC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression has to be appropriately treated and full remission from depression should represent the ultimate goal as subthreshold or residual mood and anxiety symptoms can contribute to MC.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. mmula@sgul.ac.uk.|Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK. mmula@sgul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mula
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Wagner-Jauregg Neuroscience Centre, Kepler Universitätsklinik, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: von Oertzen
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.|Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Cock
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.|Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lozsadi
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.|Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK.|South West London & St George's Mental Health Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agrawal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: adverse events; anti-epileptic drugs; antidepressant drugs; depression; epilepsy; memory