Introduction: Epilepsy is defined as two or more unprovoked seizures. The incidence of epilepsy is approximately 0.3 – 0. 5 % in different populations throughout the world and the prevalence of epilepsy has been estimated at 5 – 10 persons per 1000. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects populations worldwide and leads to severe personal, familial and social impact. Depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders occurring in patients with epilepsy. Most of the time it is under recognized and has a huge impact on their quality of life. Although incidence and prevalence rates of psychiatric co-morbidities vary widely among studies, from 12% to 41%. Its life time prevalence has been estimated within a range of 6 to 30 % in population-based studies and up to 50 % among persons followed in tertiary care centers. 

Aim of the study: This study aims is to find out the gender predominance in occurrence of depression among epilepsy patients in a tertiary care hospital of north-east region of India.

Materials and Methods:  Cross sectional study was conducted on 100 patients those who have attended to psychiatry OPD and also the cases those who were referred from medicine OPD / IPD of AGMC & GBP Hospital, Agartala between January 2016 to December 2016.

Inclusion Criteria: All types of epilepsy cases between the age group of 12 years to 60 years irrespective of sex and socio-demographic status and cases must have confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy for at least six months.

Exclusion Criteria: Patient’s age below 12 years and age above 60 years and patients those who were suffering from any other medical condition during the last one-month period before interview was excluded from the study.

Results: Out of 100 epileptic patients it was found that 50% were having depression. It was also found that amongst 100 epilepsy patients male (54%) followed by female (46%).

Conclusion: The study of prevalence of depression among epileptic patients has been a key area of research from psychiatry view point. In spite of knowing the fact that prevalence of depression is high amongst epilepsy patients but there are very few studies have been done for gender predominance in occurrence of depression amongst patients with epilepsy. In my study it was found that male (54%) has greater chances of development of depression than female (46%) with epilepsy. Differences of the prevalence of depression may be because of methodological differences and may be due to associated socio-economic factors in our society.