The relationship between the lunar cycle and epileptic attacks and their treatment

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the potential association between the phases of the moon and seizure attacks and treatment in patients diagnosed with epilepsy at a pediatric neurology clinic. Materials and Methods: 199 patients presenting to the Balıkesir University Medical Faculty pediatric neurology clinic, Turkey, diagnosed with epilepsy based on ILAE criteria were included in the study. The patients’ demographic characteristics, medications used, and family histories, and the frequency and duration of attacks were investigated retrospectively. Results: The mean age of the patients enrolled in the study (N=199) was 10.07±4.90 years. The patients were most frequently in the 12-18 age range (N=83, 41.7%). The majority of patients were male (N=104, 52.3%). Analysis revealed that seizures were most frequent in the full moon (N=54, 27.1%), followed by the new moon (N=52, 26.1%) and first quarter (N=47, 23.6%), and were least common in the third quarter (N=46, 23.1%). No statistically significant variation was determined in terms of attack frequencies during the different lunar phases between patients receiving monotherapy and polytherapy (p=0.206). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that there is no relationship between the lunar cycle and the frequency