Epilepsy is a seizure disorder whose causes are varied and not well understood. Research suggests that certain drugs used to treat epilepsy can result in substantial weight gain and lead to obesity. More recently, researchers have discovered that children newly diagnosed with epilepsy are more likely than their non-epileptic counterparts to be obese. The possible relationship between epilepsy and obesity is under investigation.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a seizure disorder that affects a variety of mental and physical functions. Although it is recognized that seizures are symptoms of abnormal brain function, the cause remains unidentified in 70 percent of cases, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. Nearly 3 million Americans have some form of epilepsy, and approximately 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
Causes
Epileptic seizures are the result of a disruption of normal electrical activity in the brain, according to the Society for Neuroscience. Some cases may be linked to genetic abnormalities and others to injury or disease that has damaged the brain. Between 20 percent and 25 percent of people with moderate or severe brain injuries develop epilepsy. Two thirds of the people who develop epilepsy each year are able to control their seizures with medications. Others must rely on EEG technology or surgery to eliminate seizures.
Obesity
Obesity, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or more, affects approximately one third of U.S. adults today, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although lack of physical activity and an unhealthy diet are the major suspected causes of obesity, medication side effects and certain medical conditions are thought to play a role in some cases. Epilepsy is not among the medical conditions most commonly cited, though.
Research
Some drugs used to treat epilepsy can cause weight gain. Research at the University of Oulu, Finland, published in "Annals of Neurology," reported that 50 percent of women taking valproate to treat their epilepsy experienced substantial weight gains.
But in Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center research published in "Neurology," 19.9 percent of children newly diagnosed with epilepsy were obese and another 18.7 percent were overweight, compared to 13.7 percent and 14.7 percent, respectively, of children without epilepsy. This could not have been due to drugs because they weren't taking any.
References
- Epilepsy Foundation: About Epilepsy
- Society for Neuroscience: Epilepsy
- Mayo Clinic: Obesity
- "Annals of Neurology"; Obesity and endocrine Disorders in Women taking Valproate for Epilepsy; Jouko I.T. Isojarvi, MD, PhD, et al.; May 1996
- "Neurology": Obesity is a common comorbidity for pediateic patiencts with untreated, newly diagnosed epilepsy; Z.S. Daniels, et al.; September 2009
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