Interictal dysphoric disorder

Emil Kraepelin in 1923 first outlined a set of symptoms common in people with chronic epilepsy, the most prominent of which is intermittent depressive episodes.^[3] These mood changes occur without any external triggers, during the interictal phase (between seizures). In 1949, Bleuler note a similar syndrome and in 1955, Gastaut confirmed both these observations.^[4]

Later, Blumer coined the term interictal dysphoric disorder to describe a similar pleomorphic presentation of symptoms exhibited by his patients.^[5] Blumer and Altshuler outlined eight affective-somatoform symptoms that characterize IDD: depressive moods, irritability, anergia, insomnia, pains, phobic fears, and euphoric moods.^[6] The diagnosis of IDD should be made when at least three of the seven symptoms are present.^[7]