Relationship of Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine to Anxiety and Depression in Epilepsy Patients

Ha, Yun Suk; Kim, Kwangsoo

Abstract

PURPOSE
To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in epilepsy patients and to evaluate the relationship of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine to anxiety and depression.
METHODS
Subjects were 39 epilepsy patients, and controls were composed of age- and sex-matched 20 healthy person. Anxiety and depression was evaluated by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The plasma folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. HADS-A and HADS-D scores between patients and controls were compared. Univariate regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine to anxiety and depression.
RESULTS
In epilepsy patients, the prevalence rates of moderate to severe degree of anxiety and depression were 43.6% and 69.2% respectively. When compared with normal controls, the folate level of epilepsy patients was significantly decreased (p<0.05). Depression was significantly correlated with decreased serum folate level in epilepsy patients (p<0.001). However, association between depression and vitamin B12 or homocysteine was not statistically significant. Anxiety of epilepsy patients was not correlated with folate, vitamin B12 or homocysteine.
CONCLUSIONS
Anxiety and depression are common in epilepsy patients, and low serum folate level may be correlated with depression.