Psychical and psychological characteristics of patients with nonepileptic seizures.

OBJECTIVE

To explore psychic and psychological characteristics of patients suffering from non- epileptic seizures and compare them with the patients suffering from epilepsy.

METHODS

Using medical documentation 40 patients with non epileptic seizures were compared with 40 randomly selected epilepsy patients according to psychiatric and psychological report, and using psychotropic medications.

RESULTS

Both psychiatric and psychological reports have shown that pathologic changes were more frequently found within the epilepsy group (n = 20 and n=7, respectively) than in non-epileptic fits group (n= 18 and n=4, respectively). Six patients had neurotic disorders within the epilepsy group, versus 3 within the non-epileptic fits group. Conversion disorders were more frequently found within the non-epileptic group (n=6) as compared to epilepsy group (n=2). Disorders due to acute reaction to stress occurred in six patients in the non-epileptic fits group versus three patients in the epilepsy group. Cognitive disorders were found more frequently within the epilepsy group (n=6) as compared to the non-epileptic fits group (n=1). Vulnerable character, adolescence crisis, deficit of social abilities and indifference were more frequently found within the non-epileptic fits group (n=3) in comparison with the epilepsy group (n=1).

CONCLUSIONS

Psychiatric and psychological reports are most important elements in the diagnostic of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.