Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine logoLink to Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
. 1990 Jan;83(1):6–9. doi: 10.1177/014107689008300105

Seizure induction by alcohol in patients with epilepsy experience in two hospital clinics.

J Heckmatt 1, A A Shaikh 1, M Swash 1, D F Scott 1
PMCID: PMC1292453  PMID: 2106032

Abstract

We surveyed 70 epileptic patients attending a general neurology clinic and 64 patients attending an epilepsy clinic to determine the incidence of alcohol-related seizures. Seven (10%) of the neurology clinic patients and 9 (15%) of the epilepsy clinic patients reported exacerbation of their seizures with alcohol. In the first group, two had been heavy drinkers when under-age, two had features of alcohol dependence, and three had experienced resolution of seizures following cessation of their drinking. In the second group, five drank 4 units/day or more, and one drank more heavily. The importance of alcohol in the causation of these patients' seizures had not previously been appreciated. The relationship of alcoholism to epilepsy has been recognized for many years, but the role of alcohol in the exacerbation of primary epilepsy, and in triggering seizures in epileptic patients is often not recognized. Control of alcohol ingestion is an important factor in the management of epilepsy.

Full text

PDF
6

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ballenger J. C., Post R. M. Kindling as a model for alcohol withdrawal syndromes. Br J Psychiatry. 1978 Jul;133:1–14. doi: 10.1192/bjp.133.1.1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brennan F. N., Lyttle J. A. Alcohol and seizures: a review. J R Soc Med. 1987 Sep;80(9):571–573. doi: 10.1177/014107688708000913. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CHARBONNEL A., GIROIRE H., TRICHET, VERCELLETTO P. Remarques sur l'étiologie de 200 cas d'épilepsie généralisée à début tardif (importance du facteur alcoolique). Rev Neurol (Paris) 1956 May;94(5):634–638. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dam A. M., Fuglsang-Frederiksen A., Svarre-Olsen U., Dam M. Late-onset epilepsy: etiologies, types of seizure, and value of clinical investigation, EEG, and computerized tomography scan. Epilepsia. 1985 May-Jun;26(3):227–231. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1985.tb05410.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dunbar G. C., Morgan D. D. The changing pattern of alcohol consumption in England and Wales 1978-85. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1987 Oct 3;295(6602):807–810. doi: 10.1136/bmj.295.6602.807. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Espir M. L., Rose F. C. Alcohol, seizures and epilepsy. J R Soc Med. 1987 Sep;80(9):542–543. doi: 10.1177/014107688708000903. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hauser W. A., Ng S. K., Brust J. C. Alcohol, seizures, and epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1988;29 (Suppl 2):S66–S78. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1988.tb05800.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hillbom M. E. Occurrence of cerebral seizures provoked by alcohol abuse. Epilepsia. 1980 Oct;21(5):459–466. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1980.tb04296.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Höppener R. J., Kuyer A., van der Lugt P. J. Epilepsy and alcohol: the influence of social alcohol intake on seizures and treatment in epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1983 Aug;24(4):459–471. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1983.tb04917.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Mayfield D., McLeod G., Hall P. The CAGE questionnaire: validation of a new alcoholism screening instrument. Am J Psychiatry. 1974 Oct;131(10):1121–1123. doi: 10.1176/ajp.131.10.1121. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ng S. K., Hauser W. A., Brust J. C., Susser M. Alcohol consumption and withdrawal in new-onset seizures. N Engl J Med. 1988 Sep 15;319(11):666–673. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198809153191102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Pinel J. P., Van Oot P. H., Mucha R. F. Intensification of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome by repeated brain stimulation. Nature. 1975 Apr 10;254(5500):510–511. doi: 10.1038/254510a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Selzer M. L. The Michigan alcoholism screening test: the quest for a new diagnostic instrument. Am J Psychiatry. 1971 Jun;127(12):1653–1658. doi: 10.1176/ajp.127.12.1653. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Victor M., Brausch C. The role of abstinence in the genesis of alcoholic epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1967 Mar;8(1):1–20. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1967.tb03815.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Yamane H., Katoh N. Alcoholic epilepsy. A definition and a description of other convulsions related to alcoholism. Eur Neurol. 1981;20(1):17–24. doi: 10.1159/000115199. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine are provided here courtesy of Royal Society of Medicine Press

RESOURCES