Author/Authors :
Bruni, Antonella Neurology Unit - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Martino, Iolanda Neurology Unit - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Caligiuri, Maria Eugenia Neuroscience Research Center - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Vaccaro, Maria Grazia Neurology Unit - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Trimboli, Michele Neurology Unit - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Garcia, Cristina Segura Psychiatric Unit - Department of Health Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , De Fazio, Pasquale Psychiatric Unit - Department of Health Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Gambardella, Antonio Neurology Unit - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy , Labate, Angelo Neurology Unit - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University Magna Graecia, Italy
Abstract :
Objectives. The findings of previous studies focused on personality disorders in epileptic patients are difficult to interpret due to
nonhomogeneous samples and noncomparable methods. Here, we aimed at studying the personality profile in patients with
mild temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) with psychiatric comorbidity. Materials and Methods. Thirty-five patients with mTLE
(22 males, mean age 40 7 ± 12 1) underwent awake and sleep EEG, 3T brain MRI, and an extensive standardized diagnostic
neuropsychiatric battery: Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R), Beck Depression Inventory-2, and
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Drug history was collected in detail. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis was performed on TCI-R data,
while all other clinical and psychological variables were compared across the resulting clusters. Results. Scores of Harm
Avoidance (HA), Reward Dependence (RD), Persistence (P), Cooperativeness (C), and Self-Transcendence (ST) allowed the
identification of two clusters, describing different personality subtypes. Cluster 1 was characterized by an early onset, more
severe anxiety traits, and combined drug therapy (antiepileptic drug and Benzodiazepine/Selective Serotonin Reuptake
Inhibitors) compared to Cluster 2. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that different personality traits may play a role in
determining the clinical outcome in patients with mTLE. Specifically, lower scores of HA, RD, P, C, and ST were associated with
worse clinical outcome. Thus, personality assessment could serve as an early indicator of greater disease severity, improving the
management of mTLE
