Psychiatric screening could help pick up hard to treat epilepsy

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-03-10 02:00

Australia; VIC

Photo by Natasha Connell on Unsplash

Screening people who have been newly diagnosed with epilepsy for suicidal tendencies could help identify those whose epilepsy is likely to be harder to treat, according to Australian-led research. The study of around 375 adults found that people who expressed suicidality at the time they were diagnosed with epilepsy, or in the past, had more than twice the risk of developing resistance to anti-seizure medications. The researchers say that suicidality may point to an underlying biological difference that contributes to resistance to treatment.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Neurology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Monash University

Funder: Dr Barnard reported receiving grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) during the conduct of the study and salary support from the Epilepsy Study Consortium (ESCI) for management of the Human Epilepsy Project and that her postdoctoral research, to which this study is related, is supported by the NHMRC of Australia. Dr French reported receiving grants from Human Epilepsy Project 1 funded by Andrews Foundation, Eisai, Engage, Lundbeck, Pfizer, SK Life Science, Sunovion, UCB Pharma, Vogelstein Foundation via ESCI; grants from Human Epilepsy Project 2 funded by UCB via ESCI and Epilepsy Foundation; grants from Human Epilepsy Project 3 funded by GW/ FACES/One8Foundation; grants from Epilepsy Foundation as Medical Director and Epilepsy Study Consortium as President; salary support from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) by way of institutional payments; salary support from Praxis by way of ESCI salary support to institution during the conduct of the study; consulting fees from Acadia Pharmaceutical, Access Industries, Acuta Capital Partners, AFASCI, Agrithera, Alkermes, Alterity Therapeautics Limited, Angelini Pharma S.p.A., Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Axonis Therapeutics, Bain Capital, Beacon Biosciences, Biohaven Pharmaceutical, Bloom Sciences, BMJ Best Practice Group, Bright Minds Bioscience, Capsidia Biotherapeutics, Cerebral Therapeutics, Cerecin, Cerevel, Cognizance Biomakers, Ceribell, Cowen and Company, Crossject, EcoR1 Capital, EG 427, Eisai, Encoded Therapeutics, Engrail, Epitel, EpiMinder, Grin Therapeutics (Neurvati), Harmony (previously Epygenix), Ionis Pharmaceuticals, iQure Pharma, IQVIA, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Leal Therapeutics, LivaNova, London Research & Pharmaceuticals, Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Maplight Therapeutics, Marinus, Medscape/Web MD, Modulight.bio, Montara Therapeutics, Mosaica Therapeutics, Neumarker, Neumirna Therapeutics, Neurelis, Neurocrine, NeuroPace, NeuroPro Therapeutics, Neuroventis, Neurona Therapeutics, Neurvati (previously GRIN), Noema, Ono Pharmaceutical Co, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Ovid Therapeutics, Praxis, PureTech LYT, QurAlis Corp, Rapport Therapeutics, Receptor Holdings, Rivervest Venture Partners, Sage Therapeutics, SK Life Sciences, Stoke, Stream Neuroscience, Supernus, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Taysha Gene Therapies, UCB, uniQure, Ventus Therapeutics, Vida Ventures Management, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Arvelle Therapeutics, Baergic Bio, BridgeBio Pharma, Camp4 Therapeutics, Coda Biotherapeutics, Eliem Therapeutics, Epalex, Epihunter, Equilibre BioPharmaceuticals, Genetech, GWPharma, Knopp Biosciences, Korro Bio, Lipocine, Lundbeck, Neuroelectrics USA Corporation, Neuronetics, Paladin Labs, Pfizer, Praxis, Rafa Laboratories, Third Rock Ventures, and Zogenix on behalf of ESCI outside the submitted work; and serving on the editorial board of Lancet Neurology and Neurology Today; serving as medical director of the Epilepsy Foundation; serving as the president and on the board of directors for the Epilepsy Study Consortium Inc (ESCI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of epilepsy patients; providing consults for large number of pharmaceutical companies, for which all money is paid to ESCI and not received personally; and that her institution receives salary support from ESCI. Dr Chen reported receiving grants from NHMRC of Australia Early Career Fellowship and UCB Pharma outside the submitted work. Dr Sperling reported receiving grants from Medtronic, Janssen, SK Life Science, Takeda, Xenon, Supernus, Biohaven, Equilibre, Epwatch, Byteflies, UCB Pharma, Cerevel, and Cavion and personal fees from Neurelis outside the submitted work. Dr Jette reported being a member of the JAMA Neurology editorial board but on a volunteer (unpaid) basis. Dr Kanner reported receiving honoraria from Epilepsy Foundation of America for serving as co–editor in chief of Epilepsy.com and advisory board fees from Neurelis Inc and Xenon Pharmaceuticals outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

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