Relationship of epileptic seizures with lunar cycle and seasons

Abstract

Background and objectives: Various factors facilitate seizures in patients with epilepsy. The relationship between the phases of the moon and neuropsychiatric conditions has been a matter of curiosity. The present study investigated whether patient presentations to the emergency department with epileptic seizures vary according to the phases of the moon, seasons, and daily air temperature. Materials and method: The study retrospectively included patients who presented to the emergency department with epileptic seizures over a one-year period. Patients with provoked seizures (head trauma, intracranial hemorrhage, etc.), pregnant women, and patients aged under 18 years were excluded. Patients’ age, gender, date and time of presentation to the emergency department were recorded. The effects of the phases of the moon and seasons on these presentations were investigated. Results:Total 255 patients (176 male, 79 female) met the inclusion criteria of the study. The majority of patients (67.1%) were aged 18-44 years. Majority of the patients (41.2%) did not previously used epileptic medication. The laboratory tests ​​showed that the mean blood pH and lactate values were 7.31±0.11 and 4.59±4.12 mmol/L respectively. No statistically significant (p>0.05) relationship was observed regarding frequency of presentations of epileptic seizures and the season and phases of the moon. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the phases of the moon, air temperature, and seasons did not affect the frequency of epileptic seizures. July 2024; Vol. 18(2):006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55010/imcjms.18.018 *Correspondence: Erdal Yavuz, Department of Emergency Medicine, Adiyaman University Medical Faculty, Adiyaman, Turkey. Email: [email protected]

Keywords

• epileptic seizures
• lunar cycle
• seasons