News

Memory problems more common in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures plus PTSD


 

FROM EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR

References

Individuals suffering from psychogenic nonepileptic seizures with posttraumatic stress disorder have significant verbal and visual memory impairments, and a greater likelihood of a history of substance abuse than individuals without PTSD, even if those individuals have a history of trauma, investigators have found in a case-control study.

“Up to 90% of patients with PNESs [psychogenic nonepileptic seizures] have been reported to have histories of significant traumatic experiences, with particularly high instances of childhood sexual and physical abuse, compared with control groups and the general population,” wrote Lorna Myers, Ph.D., of the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, New York, and her associates.

Those with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and PTSD had the highest rates of psychiatric medication use, substance abuse, history of rape, and history of physical abuse, compared with individuals who had psychogenic nonepileptic seizures without a diagnosis of PTSD but with a history of trauma, and individuals with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and no history of trauma, according to the study (Epilepsy & Behavior 2014;37:82-6).

Investigators for the study – which enrolled 17 people with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and PTSD, 29 people with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and a history of trauma but no PTSD, and 17 individuals with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures but no PTSD or trauma history – also found that those with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and PTSD scored lowest in delayed narrative memory, and showed the highest scores for self-perceived verbal memory, visuospatial memory, and overall Memory Complaints Inventory.

Dr. Myers and her associates cited several limitations. For example, they did not collect data on the patients’ ethnic or racial backgrounds, which suggests that information on “PNES pathology and neuropsychological functions” might have been missed.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Recommended Reading

Twin study confirmed genetic basis of several epilepsy syndromes
MDedge Neurology
Evidence-based guideline update: vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology
MDedge Neurology
Juvenile facial linear scleroderma is a neurocutaneous disease
MDedge Neurology
Low-dose fish oil cut seizures in a small, randomized trial
MDedge Neurology
Transition is difficult for young adults with epilepsy treated at pediatric tertiary care centers
MDedge Neurology
Epileptic seizures after vaccination usually have genetic causes
MDedge Neurology
AEDs perform largely the same in reducing secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures
MDedge Neurology
Adjunctive VNS therapy helps children with drug-resistant epilepsy
MDedge Neurology
Quality of life of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy in adulthood may be better than thought
MDedge Neurology
Twin Study Confirms Genetic Basis of Several Epilepsy Syndromes
MDedge Neurology