Sexual Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Psychopathological Characteristics in Women with Functional/Dissociative Seizures

LANZILLOTTI, ALEJANDRA INÉS; SARUDIANSKY, MERCEDES; SCÉVOLA, LAURA; ODDO, SILVIA; KORMAN, GUIDO PABLO; D'ALESSIO, LUCIANA

ACTAS ESPAñOLAS DE PSIQUIATRíA

GRUPO ARS XXI COMUNICACION S L

Año: 2024 vol. 52 p. 616 - 624

1139-9287

Background: Functional/dissociative seizures (FDS),also known as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES),are sudden, transient, and involuntary events that includemotor, sensory, cognitive or autonomic function alterations.In this work we analyzed the psychopathological characteristicsof a subgroup of women who suffer from FDS withthe aim to analyze the role of psychological trauma, withspecial emphasis on trauma due to sexual abuse (SA).Methods: Forty-five women diagnosed with FDSwere included in the study (age range 18 to 64 years, mean= 34.7, standard deviation (SD) = 13.1). Clinical and psychopathologicalcharacteristics were reviewed. All patientshave completed the clinical interviews, the Structured ClinicalInterview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), theStructured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II PersonalityDisorders (SCID II) and the Global Assessment of Functioning(GAF) according to a special protocol for mentalhealth assessment. Also, the history of sexual abuse trauma,the history of other non-sexual traumas and absence of historyof trauma were reviewed.*Corresponding author details: Luciana D’Alessio, Universidad deBuenos Aires (UBA), Centro de Epilepsia, Hospital de Agudos “J. M.Ramos Mejía”, C1221ADC Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad deBuenos Aires (UBA), Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias “ProfesorEduardo De Robertis” (IBCN), Consejo Nacional de InvestigacionesCientíficas y Técnicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina.Email: lucianad@conicet.gov.ar†These authors contributed equally.Results: Eighty percent of the cases reported a historyof trauma, and 40% reported a history of SA. Patientswith a history of SA presented a significantly lower averageage of seizure onset than patients with a history of othernon-sexual traumas (p = 0.021). Significant associationswere found between SA and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) (p = 0.031), and SA and history of suicide attempts(p = 0.037).Conclusions: SA carries serious implications for themental health of women suffering from FDS. Mental healthprofessionals must consider the history of this type oftrauma to provide the necessary care for this patient population