Epilepsy on the Border of Psychiatry and Neurology

Juan Bender del Busto, E.

Philosopher Doctor, Second Degree Specialist in Neurology, Full Professor and Researcher, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Havana, Cuba

Dr. Juan Bender del Busto, E., Philosopher Doctor, Second Degree Specialist in Neurology, Full Professor and Researcher, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Havana, Cuba.

Keywords: Epilepsy; Neurology; Psychiatry and Comorbidity

Abstract

Epilepsy represents a global health problem, because according to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 50 to 69 million people suffer from it [1-3].
It is considered as old as humanity itself and one of the most frequent disorders of the Central Nervous System (CNS) [4]. Of significance should be mentioned the involvement in the psychological and social sphere of patients who suffer from it, because they are among the most vulnerable in any society, related to the particular stigma that this disease carries, which has been transmitted for generations until our days [5]. People who suffer from epilepsy, experience a discriminatory behavior in many areas of life, with an associated psychiatric comorbidity, all of which implies that it is considered a complex pathology, with social, psychobiological and economic consequences [6,7].
This disease, in turn, can significantly compromise the quality of life of those who suffer from it, since in many cases it affects, albeit in a variable way; emotional state, behavior, social and cognitive functioning [8].

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