高齢者てんかんと認知症の関連

Association between Elderly Onset Epilepsy and Dementia

日本は認知症患者数が増加しており，また高齢者てんかん患者数も増加している。当院神経内科に入院したてんかん患者を調査したところ，高齢者でてんかん発症率が高く，また基礎疾患として認知症を有している患者が多かった。認知症のてんかん有病率はさまざまだが，高次脳機能障害の原因がてんかんのこともある。てんかんの症状が認知症と勘違いされることもあるので，てんかんと認知症との関連，またそれらの傾向や特徴を理解することが大切である。

Abstract

Japan is experiencing an increase in the number of patients with dementia, and the incidence of epilepsy is high among the elderly. A survey of patients with epilepsy who were admitted to our hospital's neurology department showed that new onset epilepsy occurred more frequently in elderly patients. In addition, a greater proportion of elderly patients had dementia as an underlying disease. Although the prevalence of epilepsy in dementia varies, higher brain dysfunctions are known to be related to epilepsy. Because a symptom of epilepsy may be mistaken for dementia, it is important to understand the association between epilepsy and dementia, including their tendencies and characteristics.