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Copyright of Clinical Epileptology / Zertifizierte Fortbildung is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Clinical Epileptology / Zertifizierte Fortbildung is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose of Review: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are the most common Functional Neurological Disorder/Conversion Disorder subtype. Significant advances have been made related to diagnosis, neurobiology, and treatment. In this review, we summarize updates in diagnosis and management over the past 3 years. Recent Findings: Although evidence is mixed for the treatment of PNES, psychotherapeutic modalities remain a powerful instrument to empower patients and reduce seizures. A multidisciplinary, holistic approach is beneficial. While seizure freedom in all patients may not be the achieved endpoint in this chronic, paroxysmal disorder, quality of life can be improved with treatment. Additional treatment modalities and further research are needed for patients who are refractory to current treatment. Summary: Evidence-based therapies exist for PNES, and recent findings represent an increased understanding of the clinical and neurophysiologic aspects of PNES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), a common phenomenon in neurological settings, are regarded as a paroxysmal type of functional neurological disorder (FND). In a substantial proportion, PNES are disabling with poor long-term outcomes and high economic costs. Despite the clinical and financial consequences of PNES, there is still a lack of controlled clinical trials on the treatment of this challenging disorder. The study aims to evaluate the feasibility and collect first evidence of the efficacy of a group based-intervention in PNES-patients. Methods: A pilot randomized controlled feasibility study with a parallel-group design was performed in adult outpatients with PNES to evaluate a new body-focused group therapy (CORDIS) versus guided self-help groups. Self-assessment of dissociation (Dissociation Experience Scale—DES-20) and seizure severity (Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale—LSSS) were assessed two weeks before and two weeks after the treatment intervention and also six months after treatment as primary outcome parameters. Results: A total of 53 patients were recruited from a specialized outpatient clinic, and out of those, 29 patients completed either the body-focused group therapy program (n = 15) or a guided self-help group (SHG) therapy (n = 14). When analyzing the ITT sample (n = 22 CORDIS group, n = 20 SHG), both groups showed an effect on seizure severity and level of dissociation. In the per protocol sample (n = 13 CORDIS group, n = 12 SHG), CORDIS was superior to the self-help group for reducing seizure severity 6 months after the treatment. Significance: CORDIS is a newly developed body-focused group therapy program for adults with PNES. Further studies should include a multicentric design with a higher number of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the commonest presentations to emergency departments and is associated with seizures carrying different significance at different stages following injury. We describe the epidemiology of early and late seizures following TBI, the significance of intracranial haemorrhage of different types in the risk of later epilepsy and the gaps in current understanding of risk factors contributing to the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). The delay from injury to epilepsy presents an opportunity to understand the mechanisms underlying changes in the brain and how they may reveal potential targets for anti-epileptogenic therapy. We review existing treatments, both medical and surgical and conclude that current research is not tailored to differentiate between PTE and other forms of focal epilepsy. Finally, we review the increasing understanding of the frequency and significance of dissociative seizures following mild TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Epileptologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Epileptologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The great physical resemblance between epileptic and dissociative seizures and a diagnosis of epilepsy that had been made years ago and usually had been treated unsuccessfully makes it difficult for both physician and patient to communicate the diagnosis of dissociative seizures. A direct referral to psychotherapy treatment is rarely accepted by patients. Intermediate steps, which are based on cooperation between neurologists and psychotherapists, are necessary. The approach that we use to communicate diagnosis and motivation for psychotherapeutic treatment includes eight steps: 1. Welcome and introduction; 2. Jointly watching a video of documented seizures; 3. The message that the seizures are not of epileptic origin, 4. Development of an alternative disease concept; 5. Motivation for a conversation with a representative from psychosomatics; 6. Responding to the fear of 'going crazy'; 7. If necessary, briefly touching on the subject of sexual violence; 8. More recommendations and conclusion of the conversation. The manual was discussed and practiced with the attending neurologist in two sessions and is now being regularly used by two neurologists with concomitant supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissociative seizures, albeit a psychiatric symptom, are encountered only rarely in psychiatric settings and more often in a neurologic context. Due to the clinical similarity of these dissociative states with neurological symptoms, optimal treatment is often hampered and lies on the border between psychiatric and neurologic approaches. Diagnostic work-up as well as the therapy may prove to be complex and tedious, partly due to the underlying psychopathology of these patients. Management by neurologists, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians should take into account specific therapeutic and diagnostic guidelines aimed at improving outcome and minimizing the negative social and occupational effect which often burden these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Epileptologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Psychotherapeut is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary. Background: Patients with physical brain abnormalities have an increased risk of developing psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Here we describe patients who developed PNES after intracranial neurosurgery for indications other than the control of refractory epileptic seizures and explore whether neurosurgical intervention is at risk factor for PNES. Method: We searched the database of 372 patients diagnosed with PNES at our department over the last 10 years and identified 17 patients (4.6%) in whom PNES first started after intracranial neurosurgery. Surgical procedures included the complete or partial resection of a meningioma, AV malformation, cavernoma, plexus papilloma, neurinoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, dysontogenetic cyst, the drainage of a brain abscess and removal of a subdural hematoma. PNES were documented by ictal video-EEG, ictal EEG, or ictal observation and examination in all cases. The diagnosis of additional epileptic seizures were confirmed by ictal EEG/video-EEG, or made on the basis of a clinical assessment by an experienced epileptologist. Findings: Five patients had purely psychogenic postoperative seizure disorders, twelve had epileptic and psychogenic attacks. Median age at neurosurgery was 32 years (range 5–54), median latency between surgery and onset of PNES was 1 year (range 0–17 years). Interpretation: PNES may develop after intracranial neurosurgery undertaken for other indications than the control of refractory epileptic seizures. Younger patients with a history of pre-operative psychiatric problems or epileptic seizures and surgical complications may be at higher risk. A diagnosis of PNES should be considered in patients who develop refractory seizures after neurosurgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Of Review: Sex differences in non-epileptic seizures (NES) are of interest, as the diagnosis is more frequent in women than men (3:1 ratio). This paper reviews clinical findings regarding sex differences in NES through selective literature review and compares coping measures between women and men in our NES clinic.Recent Findings: Some distinguishing clinical features of NES in women and men are reported in the literature. However, we found few sex differences in demographics and coping. In our population, avoidance and dissociation were strongly related to one another and significantly related to co-occurring PTSD diagnosis, which was seen in over 50% in both sexes. Our findings confirm a high prevalence of PTSD in patients with NES, suggesting that comorbid PTSD may override sex differences in accounting for use of avoidant and dissociative coping. These findings raise the possibility that NES may, at times, represent an extreme variant in dysfunctional coping in patients with PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]