Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures after head injury: a case report

SCÉVOLA L, D`ALESSIO L, SAFERSTEIN D, CENTURIÓN E, CONSALVO D, KOCHEN S

Case Reports in Medicina

Hindawi

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2009 vol. 2009 p. 1 - 4

1687-9627

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs) are diagnosed when disruptive changes in behaviour, thinking, or emotion resemble epileptic seizures (ESs), but no paroxysmal discharges are seen on electroencephalogram (EEG) and do not originate from another medical illness. The gold standard for PNES diagnosis is video electroencephalogram (Video-EEG). PNESs are defined by modern psychiatry as conversion and dissociative disorders but these disorders may coexist with many others psychiatric disorders, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders. It is well known that epileptic seizures are a frequent and well-studied complication of traumatic head injury (THI). However, THI may also generate psychic symptoms including PNES. In this paper we describe a patient who developed PNES after THI in a bus accident and received a diagnosis of refractory epilepsy for 24 years until she underwent Video-EEG.