OBJECTIVE

This study aims to utilize our hospital's existing Stereo Electroencephalography (SEEG) examination results combined with other clinical data to systematically analyze the risk factors for epilepsy comorbid with depression, and to establish a model for predicting the risk of developing depression in epilepsy patients. Clinically, this model can be used to predict the risk of comorbid depression in epilepsy patients, thereby enhancing the identification of this condition and providing a theoretical basis for proactive intervention in depressive symptoms among epilepsy patients.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients diagnosed with epilepsy in the Department of Neurosurgery at Tongde Hospital Of Zhejiang Province from 01/01/2020-31/12/2024, all of whom underwent Electroencephalography (EEG) examinations. According to the C-NDDI-E scores and clinical manifestations, the epilepsy patients were divided into an epilepsy with comorbid depression group (study group) and epilepsy without depression group (control group). Univariate analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software to screen for potential factors contributing to depression comorbid with epilepsy. Variables with a univariate P ≤ 0.05 were entered into a linear Lasso regression analysis. Those with statistical significance were then used to construct a nomogram model for predicting the risk of depression comorbid with epilepsy using R software.

RESULTS

A total of 152 epilepsy patients were enrolled, including 43 in the study group and 109 in the control group. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) differences between the groups in terms of age, employment status, marital status, age of onset, frequency of epileptic seizures, type of drug treatment, scalp EEG-determined epileptogenic zone, SEEG-determined epileptogenic zone, and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) score. Lasso regression analysis revealed that marital status (p = 0.0008), Enrollment age (OR = 0.9152, P = 0.0003, 95% CI: 0.8673-0.9562), frequency of epileptic seizures (OR =5.9946, P = 0.0030, 95% CI: 1.8952-20.6541), type of drug treatment (OR = 44.4062, P = 0.0157, 95% CI: 1.3629-15.6702), SEEG results indicating the epileptogenic zone (hippocampal onset: OR = 12.3489, P = 0.0026, 95% CI: 2.5902-70.9811), and ADL score (OR = 0.9358, P = 0.0314, 95% CI: 0.8785-0.9930) were independent risk factors for depression comorbid with epilepsy. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.895, indicating strong discriminative ability and high predictive accuracy.

CONCLUSION

Independent risk factors for depression comorbid with epilepsy include: hippocampal origin of epilepsy as identified by SEEG, unstable marital status, younger age at the time of enrollment, higher frequency of epileptic seizures (>4 times/month), use of specific anti-seizure medications (such as topiramate, phenobarbital, levetiracetam, and perampanel), and lower activities of daily living (ADL) scores. The nomogram model established based on these factors performs well in relatively accurately predicting the risk of depression comorbid with epilepsy. This facilitates early identification of high-risk patients in clinical practice, enabling timely interventions to prevent the severe consequences of depressive episodes, improving patient adherence to epilepsy treatment, and emphasizing the link between psychological and neuroscientific aspects in epilepsy management to foster interdisciplinary collaboration for more comprehensive patient care.