Three clinical pearls in the treatment of patients with seizures and comorbid psychiatric disorders

A strong association exists between epilepsy and psychiatric comorbidities, especially depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorders, and psychosis. The impact of psychotropic medications in lowering seizure threshold both directly and indirectly, hypersensitivity reactions to antiepileptic and other psychotropic medications, and how antiepileptic drugs affect psychiatric disorders are explored through three patient cases. Ultimately, in selecting an appropriate psychotropic medication for an individual with epilepsy and psychiatric comorbidities, it is important to consider the clinical and quality-of-life impacts that a particular medication will have on that individual.