title: Dissociative symptoms and epilepsy.
abstract: This article considers the relationship between various types of dissociative symptoms, including symptoms of depersonalization, derealization, and conversion disorders, and epilepsy. After introductory remarks concerning dissociation, this relationship is discussed through two main themes: firstly, the phenomenology and mechanisms of so-called 'dreamy states' in epilepsy and their closest analogs in psychiatric disorders, and secondly, the similarities and differences between epileptic seizures and psychogenic nonepileptic attacks. Although epileptic and dissociative symptoms may appear similar to observers, they arise through different mechanisms and have different experiential qualities.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer Campus, Brighton BN1 9RR, East Sussex, UK; Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex, Falmer Campus, Brighton BN1 9RR, East Sussex, UK. Electronic address: n.medford@bsms.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Medford
mesh_terms: D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Depersonalization; Derealization; Dissociation; Epilepsy; Nonepileptic attacks