My answer to Do repeated seizures trigger Alzheimer's a few years (less than 6) later in life?
Answer by Connie b. Dellobuono:
Unprovoked seizures develop in 10%-22% of people with Alzheimer disease, a disorder that affects more than 5 million Americans.
Consequently, as many as 1 million people with Alzheimer disease in the United States may develop seizures. The likelihood of seizures increases in familial and early-onset cases of Alzheimer disease.
After cerebrovascular disease and brain tumors, Alzheimer disease and other dementias are the most common etiologies of seizures in elderly persons.
In recent retrospective study by Vossel and colleagues covering a 5-year period (2007-2012) reported on 12 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 35 patients with Alzheimer disease, all of whom had epilepsy. Another 7 patients with Alzheimer disease plus subclinical epileptiform activity were included. Patients with epilepsy beginning before age 30 years or known etiologies of seizures (eg, subdural hematoma, stroke) that were presumably unrelated to the development of aMCI or Alzheimer disease were excluded.
Study findings. Patients with aMCI and epilepsy presented with cognitive decline 6.8 years earlier (at age 64.3 years vs 71.1 years) than those with aMCI without epilepsy (P=.02). Those with Alzheimer disease and epilepsy presented with cognitive decline 5.5 years earlier (at age 64.8 years vs 70.3 years) than those with Alzheimer disease without epilepsy (P=.001). Patients with Alzheimer disease and subclinical epileptiform activity had an early onset of cognitive decline (at age 58.9 years).
Do repeated seizures trigger Alzheimer's a few years (less than 6) later in life?