Dogs Can Predict Seizures of Mental Illnesses, but Not Epilepsy

There is almost an urban mythology about the dogs that predict the epilepsy seizure of their owners.

Many people acquire service dogs specifically instructed for people with seizures.

But doctors have been always extremely reserved in crediting this and now it seems that they have always been right.

In two recent studies, the investigators discovered that dogs can sometimes react to seizures caused by psychological conditions, but not by epilepsy.

"People with psychogenic seizures need psychiatric evaluation and appropriate treatment, not a specially trained dog for epileptic seizures," said study author Gregory L. Krauss, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

"This is important because the treatment is very different for a person with epilepsy and one with psychological seizures, which stem from emotional difficulties," said Krauss.

"Epilepsy drugs are not effective for psychological seizures, and they often have side effects. And with proper treatment and counseling, psychological seizures can often be eliminated."

In their research, seven people with seizure response dogs were monitored with video electroencephalogram (EEG) tests, focusing on seizures and brain electrical activity.

Epileptic seizures are triggered by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, but for four implied in the study, their brains did not present abnormal electrical activity during seizures, and thus their seizures were linked to psychological conditions.

Another subject was not tested with EEG test, but received a clear diagnostic of psychological disease.

The researchers believe that people with psychological seizures may find the company of a service animal very relaxant.

Even if dogs cannot predict epilepsy seizures, they are still utile for epileptic patients.

"Seizure response dogs can help people during seizures and stay by them when they are unconscious and provide companionship that aids them in dealing with a chronic disorder," Krauss said.

"People with non-epileptic seizures require psychiatric evaluation and behavior therapy. This study demonstrates the importance of establishing an accurate diagnosis of epilepsy before obtaining a seizure response dog."

"If dogs can predict psychological seizures, could the seizures be a conditioned response to stereotypical dog behaviors? Does having a seizure alert dog lead people to have psychological seizures more or less often? Given the cost of training seizure alert dogs, should people requesting one be screened for psychological seizures?" said author Michael J. Doherty, MD, of the Swedish Epilepsy Center in Seattle, Washington, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.