Is There an Epileptic Personality Make-Up?

Psychopathology in Epilepsy: Relationship of Seizure Type to Age at Onset

“…The adolescent onset of temporal lobe epilepsy appeared to be a highrisk variable for developing psychological dysfunction. These data failed to support the traditional hypothesis that psychological dysfunction and age at onset of epilepsy are linearly related-that is, the earlier the age at onset of epilepsy, the higher the probability of psychological dysfunction (Notkin, 1928;Piotrowski, 1947;Pond and Bidwell, 1960;Betts et al, 1976).…”

The personality of epileptics: A discussion of the evidence.

“…According to these writers, the epileptic personality and the predisposition to convulsions are constitutionally determined. American writers who have recognized a characteristic if not universal epileptic personality have usually attributed it to the frustrating environment and the social stigma to which the epileptic is exposed, or to the effect of brain dysfunction on the personality, or to both these factors (Notkin, 1928;Revitch, 1955).…”

Studies in electrically induced convulsions in animals.

“…The existence of a characteristic and inborn "epileptic personality" (2) that antedates the onset of seizures is today doubted by most students of epilepsy (16,5). There is, however, no question but that a large number of epileptics are irritable, impulsive, antagonistic and aggressive.…”