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Demographic and Seizure Variables, But Not Hypnotizability or Dissociation, Differentiated Psychogenic from Organic Seizures

Litwin, Richard and Cardeña, Etzel LU orcid (2000) In Journal of Trauma and Dissociation 1(4). p.99-122
Abstract
Early detection and differential diagnosis of psychogenic
non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and epileptic seizures (ES) is a major
clinical issue in comprehensive epilepsy centers. Using blind conditions
with patients with PNES (N = 10) and ES (N = 31) before diagnosis,
we tested the hypotheses that individuals with PNES would exhibit
significantly greater dissociativity, hypnotizability, absorption, and history
of early abuse than ES patients. Although PNES patients tended to
show greater dissociative phenomena, only the last of our hypotheses
was fully supported. Although absorption did not discriminate between
the two diagnostic groups, it was significantly higher among those
reporting early abuse. A... (More)
Early detection and differential diagnosis of psychogenic
non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and epileptic seizures (ES) is a major
clinical issue in comprehensive epilepsy centers. Using blind conditions
with patients with PNES (N = 10) and ES (N = 31) before diagnosis,
we tested the hypotheses that individuals with PNES would exhibit
significantly greater dissociativity, hypnotizability, absorption, and history
of early abuse than ES patients. Although PNES patients tended to
show greater dissociative phenomena, only the last of our hypotheses
was fully supported. Although absorption did not discriminate between
the two diagnostic groups, it was significantly higher among those
reporting early abuse. A logistic regression analysis using scores on
dissociation, hypnotizability and absorption showed them to be poor
predictors of diagnosis; however, other analyses revealed that female
gender, reports of multiple trauma incidents lasting months or years,
initial seizure onset in late teens or twenties, and daily seizure attacks
significantly differentiated PNES from ES patients. Thus, demographic
and seizure variables proved to be much better predictors of diagnosis than psychological dimensions often associated with PNES. (Less)
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author
and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Epilepsy, Dissociation, Pseudoseizure, Hypnotizability, Absorption, Trauma
in
Journal of Trauma and Dissociation
volume
1
issue
4
pages
99 - 122
publisher
Haworth Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:0842298577
ISSN
1529-9740
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
f59af168-cfd2-41f9-a70b-6079362e775d
date added to LUP
2017-01-18 11:29:26
date last changed
2022-01-30 17:11:14
@article{f59af168-cfd2-41f9-a70b-6079362e775d,
  abstract     = {{Early detection and differential diagnosis of psychogenic<br/>non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and epileptic seizures (ES) is a major<br/>clinical issue in comprehensive epilepsy centers. Using blind conditions<br/>with patients with PNES (N = 10) and ES (N = 31) before diagnosis,<br/>we tested the hypotheses that individuals with PNES would exhibit<br/>significantly greater dissociativity, hypnotizability, absorption, and history<br/>of early abuse than ES patients. Although PNES patients tended to<br/>show greater dissociative phenomena, only the last of our hypotheses<br/>was fully supported. Although absorption did not discriminate between<br/>the two diagnostic groups, it was significantly higher among those<br/>reporting early abuse. A logistic regression analysis using scores on<br/>dissociation, hypnotizability and absorption showed them to be poor<br/>predictors of diagnosis; however, other analyses revealed that female<br/>gender, reports of multiple trauma incidents lasting months or years,<br/>initial seizure onset in late teens or twenties, and daily seizure attacks<br/>significantly differentiated PNES from ES patients. Thus, demographic<br/>and seizure variables proved to be much better predictors of diagnosis than psychological dimensions often associated with PNES.}},
  author       = {{Litwin, Richard and Cardeña, Etzel}},
  issn         = {{1529-9740}},
  keywords     = {{Epilepsy; Dissociation; Pseudoseizure; Hypnotizability; Absorption; Trauma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{99--122}},
  publisher    = {{Haworth Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Trauma and Dissociation}},
  title        = {{Demographic and Seizure Variables, But Not Hypnotizability or Dissociation, Differentiated Psychogenic from Organic Seizures}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}