Using personality disorders to distinguish between patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and those with epileptic seizures

Direk N., Kulaksizoglu I. B., Alpay K., Gurses C.

EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR, vol.23, no.2, pp.138-141, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 23 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.11.013
  • Journal Name: EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.138-141
  • Keywords: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, Epileptic seizures, Personality disorders, Psychiatric disorders, PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITY, ATTACK DISORDER, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, PSEUDOSEIZURES, DIAGNOSIS, PSYCHODYNAMICS, PREVALENCE, MANAGEMENT, TRAUMA
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Identifying psychiatric disorders rather than psychiatric symptoms might help to distinguish patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) from those with epileptic seizures (ES). Patients with PNES (n = 35), patients with ES (n = 35), and healthy controls (n = 37) were compared with respect to the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this study. We tested the predictive power of having axis I psychiatric disorders, as well as personality disorders, in distinguishing ES from PNES. There was no significant difference between the patient groups in the prevalence of axis I psychiatric disorders. Personality disorders were more prevalent in the PNES group than in the ES group (P<0.05). Having a personality disorder was the only predictor for the PNES group. Having a personality disorder seems to be a more significant predictor for PNES than having an axis I psychiatric disorder. Greater attention should be paid to personality disorders in the differentiation of PNES and ES and the provision of effective treatment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.