Epilepsy Mimicking Affective Disorder in a Patient with Amygdala Enlargement

Abstract

Affective disorders are commonly associated with epilepsy. Affective symptoms rarely occur concomitantly with seizure occurrence, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Here, we describe a 69-year-old man who experiencedintermittent manifestations of unpleasant mood and aggressive behavior. He had temporal lobe epilepsy with amygdala enlargement. After successful treatment with an antiepileptic drug, hissymptoms resolved. Additionally, the amygdala enlargement decreased when checked at 5 years after treatment. We discuss the clinical characteristics and differential points of the case.