A Case Report of Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures in a 29-Year-Old Male With Schizophrenia

Abstract

Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) involve episodes of movement, sensation, or behaviors that may appear clinically similar to epileptic seizures but without cortical electroencephalographic activity that defines epileptic seizures. This case report involves a 29-year-old male with a history of type I diabetes mellitus, schizophrenia, and a prior suicide attempt via insulin overdose. He was admitted to the emergency department after being found unresponsive on the floor in his bedroom. Given the nature of his prior suicide attempt, he was initially treated for hypoglycemic coma. After arrival at the emergency department, he was noted to have normal blood glucose but displayed symptoms of acute psychosis and was transferred to the behavioral health unit, where subsequent paroxysmal episodes with seizure-like features were observed. He then underwent video-electroencephalography monitoring to evaluate for epilepsy. After no epileptic activity was recorded, he was transferred back to the behavioral health unit and treated for underlying schizophrenia and suspected PNES. After showing gradual improvement on antipsychotic medication, no further seizure-like activity was observed. His stay was complicated by a SARS-CoV-2 infection, which he recovered from without complication, and he was released on day 11. Extensive education was provided for the patient and his family on recognizing the symptoms of PNES and the importance of adherence to antipsychotic medication to avoid psychiatric decompensation and PNES recurrence. This case report highlights the challenge of diagnosing and treating a patient with PNES with underlying psychiatric comorbidities and a history of insulin overdose.

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures (PNES) in the Setting of Trauma and Schizophrenia

“…Another report describes a 42-year-old male with teenage-onset schizoaffective disorder and childhood abuse who presented to the emergency department with seizure-like episodes that were found to be PNES [ 17 ]. Most recently, a report by Banks and Plattes [ 18 ] in 2023 highlighted PNES in a 29-year-old male who developed schizophrenia at 23 years old.…”