Forty-six female patients with pseudoseizures were compared with 50 female patients referred to a psychiatric outpatient clinic. Patients with convulsive pseudoseizures were more likely to be single and childless. An abnormal EEG was more frequently reported in patients with convulsive pseudoseizures, contributing to their earlier diagnosis of epilepsy. The defence mechanisms of patients with convulsive pseudoseizures using the Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI) were particularly characterized by higher scores on the 'reversal' scale and lower scores on the 'turning against self' scale. Mood disorders were more common in general psychiatric patients, while one-third of convulsive pseudoseizure patients did not complain of psychiatric symptoms.

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Objective: To study the relationship between epilepsy and aggression in a population of severely mentally handicapped people. Methods: Comparing epilepsy and aggression variables in people with epilepsy without aggression, people with aggression without epilepsy, and people with both. The epilepsy variables were: seizure frequency, classification, anticonvulsant drugs, therapeutic drug monitoring, and neuroleptic drugs. Aggression variables were: frequency, direction, type, and neuroleptic drugs. Results: Prevalence of aggressive behaviour was similar in people with and without epilepsy (36%). Partial seizures were less prevalent in people with epilepsy and aggression. People with epilepsy were more likely to manifest unprovoked aggression directed against property. Conclusion: Some episodes of aggressive behaviour in people with epilepsy may be ictal in origin.

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