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The influence of the full moon on seizure frequency: myth or reality?
Epilepsy & Behavior
Volume 5, Issue 4, August 2004, Pages 596-597
Selim R. Benbadis, Stanley Chang, Joel Hunter and Wei Wang
Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of South Florida (Colleges of Medicine and Public Health) and Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
Abstract
To investigate a possible relationship between seizure frequency and the lunar cycle, we reviewed the occurrence of seizures recorded in our epilepsy monitoring unit over a 3-year period. Analysis of the total number of seizures (epileptic plus nonepileptic) showed no significant association. A separate analysis revealed that for nonepileptic seizures, there was an increase at the full moon, and for epileptic seizures, an increase in the last quarter. We conclude that there is no “full moon” effect on seizures as a whole, although there is a possible effect on nonepileptic seizures.
1. Introduction
Epilepsy is common, affecting about 1% of the population. The factors that precipitate seizures in patients with epilepsy have been well-documented and include sleep deprivation, alcohol intake, and flashing lights. Some patients claim that their seizures are predictably triggered or worsened by the full moon. This is given some credence by the fact that 64 to 80% of emergency department nurses and physicians believe that the moon affects patients' mental health [1]. This possible relationship between lunar phases and the occurrence of seizures has not been tested. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible association between seizure frequency and phases of the moon.
2. Methods
We reviewed the occurrence of seizures recorded in our epilepsy monitoring unit over a 3-year period. Each cycle was divided into the traditional four quarters according to the phases of the moon (new moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter), and the total number of seizures per quarter was calculated. We divided seizures into epileptic seizures and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). We looked for any association between seizure frequency and phases of the moon using a χ2 test for statistical analysis.
3. Results
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Table 1. Distribution of the number of seizures during each lunar quarter
Analysis of the total number of seizures (epileptic plus nonepileptic) showed no significant clustering (χ2=2.135, P=0.545).
A separate analysis for PNES and epileptic seizures revealed that the number of PNES was highest in full-moon quarter (χ2=11.760, P=0.008), and the number of epileptic seizures was highest in the last quarter (χ2=16.723, P=0.001).
4. Discussion
The relationship of epileptic seizures to lunar phases has a long history [2].
Overall, the occurrence of seizures does not appear to be related to the phases of the moon. If anything, the number of epileptic seizures was at the lowest point during the full moon and at the highest point in the last quarter. The belief that seizures are more common during the full moon, therefore, appears to be a myth.
The apparent increase in PNES around the full moon is of dubious significance. However, because PNES are by definition a psychiatric disease, this is not surprising, as one of the few phenomena on which the lunar cycle is most strongly believed to have some influence is mental health [3 and 4]. It is possible that patients with PNES and other mental illnesses are more likely to pay attention to horoscope, lunar phases, and other irrational influences.
Other alleged relationships with the lunar phases have been studied with respect to various variables, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation in emergency departments [5], maxillofacial emergencies [6], acute coronary events [7], deliveries [8], and psychiatric hospital admissions [9]; most studies revealed no association. The few studies that allege a relationship most likely have flawed methodology [10 and 11]. Two studies on the incidence of animal bites also yielded conflicting results [12 and 13]. In fact, it is generally accepted, based on basic geophysical principles of gravitational fluxes, that the gravitational effects of the lunar phases are negligible compared with terrestrial gravity fluxes experienced in daily life.
(تم إجراء آخر تعديل على هذه المشاركة: 07-31-2008, 10:53 AM بواسطة أبو إبراهيم.)
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