Epileptic seizures in patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the leading causes of epileptic seizures with onset in later life. Particular attention is paid to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as a disease that accounts for up to 70% of cases of all types of dementia, and, according to the literature, shares genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms with epilepsy. This paper reviews the literature on the prevalence of epilepsy in AD patients. The reasons for the widely varying data (ranging from 0.5 to 64%) depending on the selected population, the reliability of the established diagnosis, the form and genetic characteristics of the disease, as well as the examination methods used, are considered. The main risk factors for the development of AD and epilepsy, semiotics and features of seizures in patients with AD, as well as approaches to the treatment of such patients, are also covered.