Metaphoric language in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: Time to move forward.

Conversation analysis (CA) to identify metaphoric language (ML) has been proposed as a tool for the differential diagnosis of epileptic (ES) and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). However, the clinical relevance of metaphoric conceptualizations is not clearly defined. The current study aims to investigate the ML utilized by individuals with ES and PNES in a pulled multi-country sample.

Heart rate and autonomic biomarkers distinguish convulsive epileptic vs. functional or dissociative seizures.

Objective: 20-40% of individuals whose seizures are not controlled by anti-seizure medications exhibit manifestations comparable to epileptic seizures (ES), but there are no EEG correlates. These events are called functional or dissociative seizures (FDS). Due to limited access to EEG-monitoring and inconclusive results, we aimed to develop an alternative diagnostic tool that distinguishes ES vs.

Mortality in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures a population-based cohort study.

Objectives: To compare mortality, comorbidities and causes of death in people with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), epilepsy and the general population.

Methods: Using linkage of multiple Swedish national registers, we identified individuals with incident diagnosis of PNES, epilepsy and conversion disorder with motor symptoms or deficits, and 10 controls for each. Main outcome was all-cause mortality.

Psychodynamic interpretation of linguistic findings in patients with epileptic and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: the role of metaphors.

This work points out the main differences in the semantic expressions used by patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and epileptic seizures (ES). In reference to the body as a phenomenological entity, in ES the concept of the body-object prevails while in PNES the body, with all its life attributes, predominates. In description of seizures and in similitudes and metaphors used, ES patients focus on the description of the attack, trying to close the "gap" with a big effort, while patients with PNES concentrate on the context and on the presence of bystanders.

Improved ictal assessment performance in the epilepsy monitoring unit via standardization.

Objective: To determine whether the standardization and implementation of an ictal testing protocol in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) leads to improvements in ictal testing performance.

Methods: Ictal assessments completed in the EMU from a single center were retrospectively reviewed over a two-month period. Each assessment was evaluated to determine whether 8 high-yield aspects of the ictal assessment were performed.