Nasim Tabrizi - Neurology department, Mazandaran University of medical sciences, Sari, Iran

Background: Epilepsy in adolescence causes significant neurologic burden. Adolescence is a great transition from childhood to adulthood which is associated with physiological changes, emergence of new types of epilepsy and also new social responsibilities. These factors have a complex relation with each other which is worth considering and is the main objective of this paper. Methods: I have searched the Pubmed, Scopus and Embase databases between 1965 and 2019 with following keywords: seizure, epilepsy, puberty, adolescence and hormone. English articles in form of clinical studies which considered epilepsy in adolescence and around puberty have been included. Findings: Epilepsy in adolescence commonly consists of childhood onset epilepsy syndromes which persist to adolescence (benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms(Gastaut type), Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, childhood absence epilepsy, etc.), epilepsy syndromes with onset in adolescence (juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, progressive myoclonic epilepsies, etc.) and also epilepsy due to other acquired etiologies. Hormonal changes during puberty affect the seizure activity and electroencephalographic findings. Both epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may cause alteration in sexual hormones and consequently play a role in hyposexuality and psychiatric disorders and also derail psychological development at this age. Moreover adverse effects of AEDs might potentially endanger bone health, fertility and general health of this group of patients. Conclusion: Special consideration of epilepsy in adolescence and comprehensive management of these patients seems necessary to improve quality of life and prevent future complications.

seizure, epilepsy, puberty, adolescence.