title: Emotion in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: responses to affective pictures.
abstract: We examined emotional responses to standard affective pictures in 18 psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) patients. Given reports of trauma and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) in many PNES patients, comparison groups were seizure-free individuals high and low in PTS (PTS-high, PTS-low; n=18 per group). Patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (1) reported more emotional intensity to neutral and pleasant pictures than PTS-low and more intensity to neutral pictures than PTS-high, and (2) showed less positive emotional behavior to pleasant pictures than PTS-high. Groups did not differ in pleasantness/unpleasantness ratings, negative emotional behavior, cardiac interbeat interval, or respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity to the pictures. Patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures reported more general emotion regulation difficulties and showed lower baseline RSA than PTS-low but not PTS-high. In sum, intense emotional experience and diminished positive emotional behavior characterized PNES patients' emotional responses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arizona State University, Glendale, AZ 85306, USA. Nicole.A.Roberts@asu.edu
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Burleson
authors.forename: Dana J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sergeant
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: Tara M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Vincelette
authors.forename: Norman C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants