New research suggests seizures are more common in people with Alzheimer's
Published 13 July 2010
People with Alzheimer's are more than six times more likely to have seizures than people without the disease according to new research presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease.
Scientists used the anonymised electronic medical records of 14,838 people with Alzheimer's disease and the same number of people without the disease from nearly 400 UK PCTs. They followed them for between 2.3 and 3.4 years. In the Alzheimer's group there was an incidence rate of 9.1 per 1,000 people per year. This is 6.4 times higher than the 1.4 per 1,000 per year recorded in the non-Alzheimer's group.
Alzheimer's Society comment:
'People with dementia can have a higher risk of developing other health problems. This, as this large and robust UK study suggests, could include seizures. By taking these additional risks into account, we can ensure that the appropriate care and support is being provided.'
'One in three people will die with dementia. Everyday we are moving closer to understanding the causes of dementia and why people experience the difficulties they do. However, dementia research is seriously underfunded. We need more investment now if we are to advance our knowledge further.'
Professor Clive Ballard
Director of Research
Alzheimer's Society
Research reference: Alzheimer's disease is associated with increased incidence of seizures among patients in the United Kingdom, 1988-2009. Nicole Baker et al.
