Thoughts, emotions, and dissociative features differentiate patients with epilepsy from patients with psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNESs).
Psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNESs) are often very difficult to treat, which may be, in part, related to the limited information known about what a person experiences while having PNESs. For this retrospective study, thoughts, emotions, and dissociative features during a spell were evaluated in 351 patients diagnosed with PNESs (N=223) or epilepsy (N=128). We found that a statistically higher number of thoughts, emotions, and dissociative symptoms were endorsed by patients with PNESs versus patients with epilepsy. Patients with PNESs reported significantly more anxiety and frustration, but not depression, compared with those with epilepsy. Emotions and dissociations, but not thoughts, and a history of any type of abuse were endorsed significantly more often by patients with PNESs. Patients with PNESs are prone to having poor outcomes, and interventions focusing on their actual experiences may be helpful for treatment planning.
University of Pittsburgh Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (UPCEC), Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Electronic address: hendrx@upmc.edu.
Rick
R
Hendrickson
University of Pittsburgh Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (UPCEC), Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Alexandra
A
Popescu
University of Pittsburgh Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (UPCEC), Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Gena
G
Ghearing
University of Pittsburgh Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (UPCEC), Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Anto
A
Bagic
D000328:Adult; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking
Dissociation; Emotions; Epilepsy; Psychogenic nonepileptic spells; Psychogenic seizures; Thoughts