Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains
Neurobehavioral comorbidities in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) are increasingly recognized, yet their phenotypic variability and clinical implications remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify behavioral changes following seizure onset and to explore the feasibility of stratifying...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1592 |
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| author | Rosado Belén Palacio Jorge Menchaca Carolina García-Belenguer Sylvia |
| author_facet | Rosado Belén Palacio Jorge Menchaca Carolina García-Belenguer Sylvia |
| author_sort | Rosado Belén |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Neurobehavioral comorbidities in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) are increasingly recognized, yet their phenotypic variability and clinical implications remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify behavioral changes following seizure onset and to explore the feasibility of stratifying patients based on neurobehavioral profiles. Seventy client-owned dogs with IE were enrolled and grouped according to treatment: 29 had drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), 29 were drug-sensitive (DSE), and 12 remained untreated. Owners completed a modified version of the C-BARQ questionnaire, assessing behaviors before and after seizure onset. Nearly one-third of behavioral items showed significant changes, particularly in attachment and attention-seeking behaviors, separation-related behaviors, eating behavior, and signs of cognitive decline such as reduced trainability and dementia-like signs. Principal component analysis followed by cluster analysis revealed two distinct neurobehavioral profiles: Cognitive and Emotional. The Cognitive cluster was associated with a higher total questionnaire score, poorer seizure control (predominantly DRE), and lower owner-perceived quality of life. In contrast, the Emotional cluster was more frequently observed in dogs with DSE or no treatment and was associated with higher quality of life scores. These findings support the clinical relevance of behavioral stratification in canine epilepsy and underscore the need for individualized, multimodal approaches to improve patient care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-147acacdaba64ba582a22be329a9082f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-147acacdaba64ba582a22be329a9082f2025-08-20T03:10:54ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-05-011511159210.3390/ani15111592Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional DomainsRosado Belén0Palacio Jorge1Menchaca Carolina2García-Belenguer Sylvia3Hospital Veterinario Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Patología Animal, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet, 177, 50013 Zaragoza, SpainHospital Veterinario Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Patología Animal, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet, 177, 50013 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad Académica de Genética y Mejora Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República (UdelaR), Ruta 8 km 18, Montevideo 13000, UruguayHospital Veterinario Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Patología Animal, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet, 177, 50013 Zaragoza, SpainNeurobehavioral comorbidities in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) are increasingly recognized, yet their phenotypic variability and clinical implications remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify behavioral changes following seizure onset and to explore the feasibility of stratifying patients based on neurobehavioral profiles. Seventy client-owned dogs with IE were enrolled and grouped according to treatment: 29 had drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), 29 were drug-sensitive (DSE), and 12 remained untreated. Owners completed a modified version of the C-BARQ questionnaire, assessing behaviors before and after seizure onset. Nearly one-third of behavioral items showed significant changes, particularly in attachment and attention-seeking behaviors, separation-related behaviors, eating behavior, and signs of cognitive decline such as reduced trainability and dementia-like signs. Principal component analysis followed by cluster analysis revealed two distinct neurobehavioral profiles: Cognitive and Emotional. The Cognitive cluster was associated with a higher total questionnaire score, poorer seizure control (predominantly DRE), and lower owner-perceived quality of life. In contrast, the Emotional cluster was more frequently observed in dogs with DSE or no treatment and was associated with higher quality of life scores. These findings support the clinical relevance of behavioral stratification in canine epilepsy and underscore the need for individualized, multimodal approaches to improve patient care.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1592canine epilepsyidiopathic epilepsydrug-resistant epilepsyneurobehavioral comorbiditiescognitive dysfunctionquality of life |
| spellingShingle | Rosado Belén Palacio Jorge Menchaca Carolina García-Belenguer Sylvia Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains Animals canine epilepsy idiopathic epilepsy drug-resistant epilepsy neurobehavioral comorbidities cognitive dysfunction quality of life |
| title | Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains |
| title_full | Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains |
| title_fullStr | Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains |
| title_short | Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: New Insights into Cognitive and Emotional Domains |
| title_sort | neurobehavioral comorbidities in canine idiopathic epilepsy new insights into cognitive and emotional domains |
| topic | canine epilepsy idiopathic epilepsy drug-resistant epilepsy neurobehavioral comorbidities cognitive dysfunction quality of life |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1592 |
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