History of abuse and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A systematic review

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are a subtype of functional neurological disorder (FNDs); disorders of the nervous system with no organic, structural cause but that cause significant symptoms and impairment for the patient [36]. FNDs are distinct from factitious disorders or malingering [12]. PNES' are categorically separated from epilepsy, which is caused by abnormal and excessive discharge of populations of neurons within the brain, detectable by EEG [31]. PNES patients do not present with this EEG finding, and have different clinical presentations, such as a gradual onset, resisted eyelid opening, fluctuations and responses or attention to external stimuli [8].

Source: Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy - September 16, 2021 Category: Neurology Authors: Laura Lloyd Jones, Hugh Rickards Source Type: research