This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
The Neuropsychiatry of Epilepsy
edited by Michael Trimble and Bettina Schmitz,
360 pp., New York, Cambridge University Press, 2002, $70
From its title, The Neuropsychiatry of Epilepsy, one could easily assume that the book edited by Trimble and Schmitz is a textbook that reviews, in a comprehensive manner, the neuropsychiatric aspects of epilepsy. It is not. Rather, this book reviews selected topics, many of which are often the source of controversy or are disregarded by clinicians altogether. The editors selected internationally recognized experts to write the chapters.
The book is divided in six sections. In the first part, Krishnamoorthy reviews epidemiologic data of the main psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy, highlighting the methodologic flaws inherent in many of the studies available and most importantly, emphasizing the atypical presentation of these disorders in epilepsy patients. Krishnamoorthy makes a good case for the limited utility of the psychiatric diagnostic instruments available today, all of which were developed for psychiatric disorders in non-epilepsy patients. The next chapter, written by Engel and collaborators, is an essential part of any book on the neuropsychiatry of epilepsy. The authors provide a clear but succinct review of the limbic circuitry and the neuroanatomic structures operant in mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety, and aggression. They also include a brief review of normal physiology of mesial temporal structures and some aspects of the pathophysiology of mesial temporal sclerosis.
Among the six chapters that comprise the second part of the book, four are must-reads. First, in his review of the psychiatric comorbidities associated with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, Janz dispels long held misconceptions by many that patients with this form of epilepsy are less likely to have psychiatric disorders. The chapter by Cornaggia and Gobbi provides a practical perspective on how to approach learning disabilities in …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
- Book Review Policies Should Be Updated
- Reply to Dr. Kaufman
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
