[Anxiety disorders and epilepsy: not unknown, but sometimes unexpected. A case study]. / Angstklachten en epilepsie: niet onbekend, maar soms onverwacht.

Epileptic disorders can manifest themselves with symptoms of anxiety and panic. In clinical practice it is not always easy to achieve a correct diagnosis. The subject of this case study is an adult with symptoms of anxiety and panic who was referred to the mental health care service but who was diagnosed as having epilepsy when subjected to a supplementary examination. Psychological and in particular anxiety symptoms in epilepsy are discussed. The psychiatrist needs to consider the possibility of epilepsy in a patient presenting with anxiety symptoms.

[Diabetic encephalopathy: an underexposed complication of diabetes mellitus]. / Diabetische encefalopathie: een onderbelichte complicatie van diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus seems to be associated with gradually developing end-organ damage to the central nervous system. This relatively unknown complication of both diabetes type 1 and type 2 can be referred to as 'diabetic encephalopathy'. Measurable manifestations are electrophysiological and structural changes and limitations in the cognitive functioning. The mechanisms responsible for this diabetic encephalopathy are only partially known. Chronic metabolic and vascular changes seem to play an important role. The effects of diabetes on the brain are most distinct in the elderly. This may be the consequence of interactions between the mechanisms that underlie the ageing of the brain, dementia and the origin of diabetic complications. At present there are few leads for the targeted diagnostics and treatment of individual patients.