Introduction: Psychiatric co-morbidities in epilepsy are dominated by depression, anxiety
disorders and psychotic disorders. They have a negative impact on epilepsy, particularly
in terms of increased psychological suffering, impaired quality of life and reduced seizure
control. This study was carried out at the Ouagadougou university hospitals, Burkina Faso, with
the aim of contributing to better management of patients with epilepsy. Its objectives were to
describe the psychiatric co-morbidities of epilepsy and to identify the associated factors.
Patients and Methods: Prospective, descriptive and analytical, multicentre, hospitalbased, cross-sectional study, which took place in the Ouagadougou University Hospitals,
from 10/07/2021 to 15/12/2021, and involved patients undergoing outpatient treatment
for epilepsy. The diagnosis of depressive syndrome was established using the Neurological
Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDIE) scale and that of generalized anxiety
disorder using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7) scale. The diagnosis of psychotic
disorder was established by psychiatric expertise. The characteristics of patients with
epilepsy and the frequency and characteristics of psychiatric comorbidities were analyzed.
A bivariate analysis was used to identify factors associated with the risk of depressive
syndrome or generalized anxiety disorder, using EPI INFO 7.1.10 software. The value of p≤
0.05 was retained.
Results: One hundred and eleven (111) patients were included in this study, 64 of whom
were men (57.7%). The mean age of the patients was 36.9+/-13 years with a mean age
of onset of the first seizures of 29+/- 14.8 years. Epilepsy was focal in 56.8%. A high risk
of generalized anxiety disorder was detected in 44/111 patients, i.e. 39.6%; an anxiety
syndrome was confirmed in 18 patients after psychiatric expertise, i.e. 16.2%; no factors
associated with anxiety disorders were identified. A high risk of a major depressive episode
was detected in 41/111 patients, i.e. 36.9%; a major depressive syndrome was diagnosed in
25 patients after psychiatric expertise, i.e. 22.5%. Epilepsy with focal neurological signs was
significantly associated with a risk of major depressive disorder (p=0.012).
Conclusion: Depression, anxiety and chronic psychosis are frequent psychiatric comorbidities
of epilepsy in our context, hence the importance of integrated neuropsychiatric management.

Epilepsy, Major depressive episode, Anxiety syndrome, Psychosis, Ouagadougou