Psychogenic Seizures in Adolescents: An “Evergreen” Diagnostic Challenge

Abstract

Paroxysmal events are classified as non-epileptic or epileptic symptoms. The first ones are distinguished in psychogenic and organic/physiological paroxysmal events (Lüders et al., 2019). In organic and physiological disorders there are several symptoms: inattention, daydreaming, staring, sleep myoclonus, stereotyped movements, hypnotic spasms, tonic postures, parasomnia, movement disorders. Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are not associated with abnormal brain EEG activity and cannot be explained by other neurological disorders. PNES are also defined as functional neurological disorders and are included among the Conversion Disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). This disorder is characterized by symptoms of impaired voluntary or sensorimotor function without the presence of other neurological or clinical conditions.