Abstract:
Patients' quality of life is greatly impacted by generalized epilepsy, which is frequently linked
to depression and cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between
the severity of depression, cognitive function, and the duration of epilepsy in individuals with
generalized epilepsy. We analyzed 100 patients (aged 18–60, mean age 36.5 ± 12.6) with generalized
epilepsy (idiopathic, symptomatic, cryptogenic). Patients were divided into three groups based on
epilepsy duration: <5 years, 5–10 years, and >10 years. Cognitive function was assessed using the
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), depression severity with the Hamilton Depression Rating
Scale (HDRS), and correlations were analyzed using Spearman’s test. MoCA scores declined
significantly with longer epilepsy duration (Group 1: 23.4 ± 0.24, Group 2: 22.3 ± 0.38, Group 3:
21.6 ± 0.8; p < 0.001), indicating progressive cognitive impairment. Similarly, the length of epilepsy
was associated with higher HDRS scores, indicating greater depression. According to Spearman's
correlation, the length of epilepsy was positively correlated with HDRS scores and negatively
correlated with MoCA scores (p < 0.001). Decreased cognitive function and more severe depression
are linked to longer epilepsy duration. Improving patient outcomes requires early cognitive screening
and focused therapy
