Development of treatment strategy for epilepsy in the elderly

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09808
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Naoki Akamatsu 国際医療福祉大学, 医学部, 教授 (10299612)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: てんかん / 側頭葉 / 抗てんかん薬 / 脳波 / 高齢者 / 焦点意識減損発作 / 有病率 / レセプト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study revealed that the prevalence of epilepsy in the elderly is 10.3 per 1000 in Hisayama town of Japan. Based on the nationwide retrospective cohort study using a hospital-based medical information database, 44% of epilepsy patients in Japan were aged 65 or above. The clinical characteristics of epilepsy in the elderly includes 1) focal impaired awareness seizure of temporal lobe onset are common, 2) life-style related disorders are prevalent 3) high diagnostic sensitivity of electroencephalography with sleep recording, and 4) higher responsiveness to anti-seizure medication. The present study contribute not only to clinicians to diagnose and treat patients but also to plan health care polycy in the elderly.

Free Research Field

脳神経内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで本邦の有病率の研究はほとんどなかった。成人てんかん特に高齢者てんかんの実数把握ができるデータを得たことは、今後のてんかんの臨床および医療政策に貢献できる。高齢者てんかんの症状、検査所見、診断のポイントを本研究で明らかにした。この知見から一般臨床医が的確に高齢者てんかんを診断し治療できるようになる。診療ガイドライインの策定の基礎的データを得ることができた。