The figure below illustrates epilepsy mortality rates per million person-years versus age group and by birth cohort among U.S. males from 1950-1994 (modified from O’Calla

The figure below illustrates epilepsy mortality rates per million person-years versus age group and by birth cohort among U.S. males from 1950-1994 (modified from O’Callaghan, Am J Epidemiol, 2000). It should be noted that epilepsy mortality could decrease over time in two ways: 1) epilepsy becomes less prevalent in the overall population and/or 2) death due directly to epilepsy decreases among patients with the disease.
Using these data, briefly describe the risk of epilepsy mortality as individuals pass through life.
Briefly describe the cohort effects on epilepsy mortality and address whether these cohort effects are consistent across the age spectrum.
Based on this figure, discuss the plausibility of the following hypotheses:
Starting approximately in 1955, maternal and fetal nutrition improved dramatically leading to lower rates of epilepsy
Anti-epileptic drugs introduced among 1980 have improved survival among patients with epilepsy