Bottom Line: Potentially changeable lifestyle and vascular risk factors in midlife were associated with onset later in life of epilepsy, a neurological disorder with higher risk in older age. This observational study used data from a large, biracial group of people followed for more than 25 years. Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, apolipoprotein E ?4 allele status (variant of a gene associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer disease), stroke and dementia were associated with increased risk of epilepsy. More physical activity and moderate alcohol intake were associated with lower risk.
Authors: Emily L. Johnson, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, and coauthors
To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website .
(doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.1935)
Editor's Note: The article includes a conflict of interest disclosirPlease see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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JAMA Neurology