Characteristics of epilepsy in a population based cohort of adults with learning disability

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to define various aspects of epile psy in a population based sample of adults with a learning disability. Method: A purpose-designed questionnaire was used to collect information on various aspects of epilepsy on 143 adults with a learning disability and e pilepsy. Names of these subjects were collected from a hospital for learnin g disabled adults, specialist epilepsy clinics and social services departme nt. Data was gathered from case notes and direct patient examination. Results: Generalised tonic clonic seizure was the most common seizure type. Seventy-three per cent sustained a seizure within the previous 12 months o f the study. Abnormal EEG findings including excessive slow background acti vities and epileptiform waves were documented in a high proportion of subje cts with a learning disability and epilepsy. Conclusions: Both resistant epilepsy and generalised tonic clonic seizures seem to be more frequent among the learning disabled population compared wi th the general population.