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Aims. Recent epidemiological studies have indicated that the incidence of epilepsy peaks after 60 years old, and epilepsy has become increasingly prevalent in elderly populations. The aim of this study is to identify the aetiologic characteristics of epilepsy in the elderly. Methods. We retrospectively recruited elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy identified in three epilepsy centres in western China; elderly patients were defined as individuals aged 60 years or older. Demographic characteristics, clinical epilepsy data, and the diagnosis and aetiology of epilepsy were recorded. Results. A total of 760 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy were enrolled in our study. Of these patients, 25% had experienced one or more episodes of status epilepticus, and 62.4% were confirmed as symptomatic. Among the symptomatic cohort, stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) were the two most common causes of epilepsy, followed by cerebral tumour, dementia, hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and central nervous system (CNS) infection. When analysed by residence and age, ischaemic stroke was the most common cause of epilepsy in urban patients, whereas traumatic brain injury was the leading cause of epilepsy in rural patients. Conclusion. More than three-fifths of newly diagnosed epilepsy cases in elderly patients were confirmed as symptomatic, and stroke and traumatic brain injury were the primary aetiologies in elderly epileptic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Although several studies have indicated that valproate (VPA) and oxcarbazepine (OXC) cause reproductive endocrine disorders and sexual dysfunction, there remains some controversy regarding these issues in males with epilepsy. This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of VPA and OXC on sexual function, sperm quality, and sex hormones in young males with epilepsy. Methods. Males with newly diagnosed epilepsy treated with VPA and OXC were recruited, and sexual function questionnaires (International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5)), sperm quality, and sex hormone levels were assessed before treatment and at 6 months after treatment with VPA or OXC monotherapy. Results. Forty-four young males with epilepsy (23 treated with VPA, 21 treated with OXC) and 30 age-matched healthy individuals were recruited for our study. The sexual function, sperm quality, marriage rate, and fertility rate of these young males with epilepsy were lower than those of healthy controls. Sperm quality were significantly reduced in young male patients after 6 months of VPA administration. The level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was increased in patients after OXC treatment. Meanwhile, sexual function and sperm quality were not affected. Conclusion. Sexual function and sperm quality were reduced in young males with epilepsy. VPA may exert a negative effect on sperm quality, whereas OXC has no harmful effect on sexual function and sperm quality in young males with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epileptic seizures are considered to be a brain network dysfunction, and chronic recurrent seizures can cause severe brain damage. However, the functional brain network underlying recurrent epileptic seizures is still left unveiled. This study is aimed at exploring the differences in a related brain activity before and after chronic repetitive seizures by investigating the power spectral density (PSD), fuzzy entropy, and functional connectivity in epileptic patients. The PSD analysis revealed differences between the two states at local area, showing postseizure energy accumulation. Besides, the fuzzy entropies of preseizure in the frontal, central, and temporal regions are higher than that of postseizure. Additionally, attenuated long-range connectivity and enhanced local connectivity were also found. Moreover, significant correlations were found between network metrics (i.e., characteristic path length and clustering coefficient) and individual seizure number. The PSD, fuzzy entropy, and network analysis may indicate that the brain is gradually impaired along with the occurrence of epilepsy, and the accumulated effect of brain impairment is observed in individuals with consecutive epileptic bursts. The findings of this study may provide helpful insights into understanding the network mechanism underlying chronic recurrent epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]