title: Psychiatric diagnoses of patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to present and discuss the psychiatric diagnoses of patients who presented psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) during video-electroencephalographic monitoring (VEEG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of 98 patients, a total of 28 patients presented PNES during the diagnostic procedure. In those cases in which the PNES that occurred during VEEG were validated by clinical history (clinical validation), and by showing the recorded event on video to an observer close to the patient (observer validation), was defined psychogenic non-epileptic seizure disorder (PNESD). Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 27, psychogenic non-epileptic seizures disorder was diagnosed. Fourteen patients presented only with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure disorder, 13 with both psychogenic non-epileptic seizures disorder and epilepsy, and one patient with epilepsy only. Psychiatric diagnoses were: 17 (63%) patients with conversion disorder, five (19%) with somatization disorder, two (7%) with dissociative disorder NOS, two (7%) with post-traumatic stress disorder and one (4%) with undifferentiated somatoform disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dissociative-conversion non-epileptic seizures are the most frequent finding, representing the pseudoneurological manifestation of mental disorders that have these symptoms as a common feature. Provisionally, they may be defined as dissociative-conversion non-epileptic seizure disorders.
authors: Projeto de Epilepsia e Psiquiatria, Instituto e Departamento de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. rlmarche@dialdata.com.br
authors: Renato Luiz
authors: RL
authors: Marchetti
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Kurcgant
authors: José Gallucci
authors: JG
authors: Neto
authors: Mary Ann
authors: MA
authors: von Bismark
authors: Liliana Beccaro
authors: LB
authors: Marchetti
authors: Lia Arno
authors: LA
authors: Fiore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014743:Videotape Recording