The effect of epilepsy control on psychogenic non epileptic seizures

Abstract

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders. The coexistence of epilepsy and PNES places a great challenge for both neurologists and psychiatrists to manage and follow up their patients. To assess the effect of epilepsy control onpsychogenic non epileptic seizure in Sudanese patients with epilepsy attending Daoud charity clinic May to July 2018. Thirty three Sudanese patients with epilepsy and concomitant psychogenic non epileptic seizure where included in this study and full detailed history of both epilepsy and PNES was obtained. The study was conducted in Daoud charity clinic during the period from May to July 2018. Out of 33 patients 19 were males and 14 were females. Seven patients had focal epilepsy, 23 had generalized tonic clonic epilepsy (GTC), 2 had GTC with atypical absent seizure, and one had GTC with myoclonus. Six patients experienced an attack of PNES after more than 1 year of being free of epilepsy, while 9 patients had PNES attack between 3 months to 1 year of the last attack of epilepsy, and 18 patients developed both PNES and epilepsy within less than 3 months. The pattern of presentation of PNES was bizarre movements in 13 patients, abnormal behavior in 9 patients, while 11 patients experienced both bizarre movement and abnormal behavior note that all those 11 patients had GTC epilepsy. Experiencing psychogenic non epileptic seizure (PNES) in patients with coexisting PNES and epilepsy is not affected by the epilepsy free period.