title: [Assessment and treatment of patients with nonepileptic dissociative seizures in a department of epileptology].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the frequency of dissociative seizures in inpatients of a specialized ward for epilepsy as well as their diagnostic and therapeutic course. The basic principle of the latter is the therapeutic triad of value-free communication of the diagnosis, training of techniques for seizure interruption and problem solving of inner conflicts.
  
  
  METHODS
  All inpatients in a department of epileptology with a diagnosis of dissociative seizures were examined retrospectively for the year 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  65 patients (11 %) were diagnosed with dissociative seizures, 23 patients with a primary diagnosis of epilepsy and 42 with a secondary diagnosis, epilepsy being the primary diagnosis. Symptoms occurred in the 23 patients with dissociative seizures as primary diagnosis between 2 weeks and 40 years. Possible predisposing factors and psychological comorbidities for the development of dissociative seizures were manifold. A psychopharmacological medication was established in 9 patients (39 %), and psychotherapy was recommended explicitly in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a great heterogeneity in patients with dissociative seizures with a sometimes long course of the disorder.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Psychiatrie Südwürttemberg, Abteilung Versorgungsforschung, 88212 Ravensburg-Weissenau. carmen.uhlmann@zfp-zentrum.de
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uhlmann
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eisele
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flammer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D017008:Negotiating; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult