Publications by authors named "Luciana D' Alessio"
Article Synopsis
- Functional/dissociative seizures (FDS), also known as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), involve involuntary physical or cognitive changes and are linked to psychological trauma, particularly sexual abuse (SA).
- In a study of 45 women with FDS, it was found that 80% had experienced trauma, and 40% specifically had a history of SA, which correlated with an earlier onset of seizures and increased risk of PTSD and suicide attempts.
- The findings highlight the importance of recognizing the impact of sexual abuse on the mental health of women with FDS, emphasizing that mental health professionals should incorporate trauma histories into their care strategies.
Purpose: To analyze patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy from temporal (TLE) and extra-temporal origin (ETE) and to compare the prevalence of psychiatric comorbid disorders and impulsivity between them and a control group.
Methods: Consecutively studied patients with TLE and ETE confirmed with Video-EEG were included. Standardized psychiatric assessment was conducted using the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I and II diagnosis of DSM-IV (SCID I-II), the Barrat-11 scale for impulsivity, and Beck inventory for depression.
Article Synopsis
- The study explored childhood environments and stress-coping strategies in three patient groups: those with functional dissociative seizures (FDS), drug-resistant epilepsy without psychiatric issues (DREnc), and drug-resistant epilepsy with psychiatric issues (DREpc).
- Results indicated that negative maternal responses were linked to higher FDS probabilities, while chaotic family environments increased the likelihood of psychiatric comorbidity in DRE patients. Additionally, DREpc and FDS patients used different coping strategies compared to DREnc, who mainly focused on problem-solving.
- The findings suggest that invalidating environments can predict FDS and psychiatric disorders in epilepsy, highlighting the need for psychotherapeutic interventions that address these social and psychological
Purpose: To explore patients' subjective experience when receiving a diagnosis of Dissociative Seizures (DS) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and their explanatory models about DS.
Method: A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was used to gain an in-depth and contextual understanding of the perspectives of 19 patients with DS. Data collection and analysis were followed by an inductive and interpretive approach informed by the principles of thematic analysis.
Objective: This study presents the cultural and linguistic adaptation and psychometric properties of the Argentine version of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31P) scale.
Methods: An instrumental study was carried out. A version of QOLIE-31P translated into Spanish was provided by the original authors.
Purpose: Depression and anxiety are psychiatric disorders related to chronic stress, commonly found in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and functional dissociative seizures (FDS). The present study compares the levels of perceived stress, resilience, and the styles of stress coping among patients with DRE (n=60), FDS (n=28), and controls (n=31).
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study.
Alcohol intake and exposure to noise are common activities of human adolescents performed in entertainment contexts worldwide that can induce behavioural disturbances. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to investigate in an experimental model of adolescent animals whether noise exposure and intermittent ethanol intake, when present individually or sequentially, might be able to modify different behaviours. Adolescent Wistar rats of both sexes were subjected to voluntary intermittent ethanol intake for 1 week followed by exposure to noise for 2 h and tested in a battery of behavioural tasks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) are frequently observed before and after epilepsy surgery. Impulsivity, defined as behaviors that are poorly conceived, are also frequent among patients with epilepsy. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of comorbid impulsivity in patients with DRE after one year of epilepsy surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze and compare psychiatric aspects and quality of life in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE).
- It included 148 patients, revealing that PNES was associated with higher rates of somatization disorder and trauma history, along with a lower quality of life and more suicide attempts compared to DRE patients.
- Both groups showed a negative correlation between depression severity and quality of life, with PNES patients experiencing greater psychiatric comorbidity and poorer overall wellbeing.
Objective: The aim of this study is to explore explanatory models (EM) about epilepsy in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Design: A qualitative approach gathered data through semi-structured interviews, oriented to gain an in-depth and contextual understanding of EM about epilepsy of patients with DRE. Data collection and analysis were followed by an inductive and interpretive approach informed by the principles of thematic analysis.
Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are paroxystic and episodic events associated with motor, sensory, mental or autonomic manifestations, which resemble epileptic seizures (ES), but are not caused by epileptogenic activity. PNES affect between 20% and 30% of patients attending at epilepsy centers and constitute a serious mental health problem. PNES are often underdiagnosed, undertreated and mistaken with epilepsy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To investigate the opinions of physicians on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in patients with epilepsy (PWE) worldwide.
Methods: Online survey addressed to neurologists and psychiatrists from different countries.
Results: Totally, 1112 physicians from 25 countries (different world region: Europe, North America, South America, Middle-East, Africa, Former Soviet Union Republics) participated; 804 (72.
Objectives: In this international study, we aimed to investigate the opinions of physicians dealing with patients with functional seizures (FS) worldwide on working restrictions and disability benefits eligibility.
Methods: International online survey of neurologists/mental health professionals from Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Italy, France, Iran, Iraq, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, and Russia.
Results: Six hundred and twenty-seven physicians from 12 countries participated in the study.
Background: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs) are disruptive changes in behavior without ictal correlate of epileptic activity and high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity. Differential diagnosis is difficult particularly with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), which is also associated with high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity. Although video electroencephalography is the gold standard for differential diagnosis, clinical semiology analysis may help the clinician in general medical practice.
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- This report by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) discusses driving and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), summarizing existing literature and expert opinions while proposing a method for assessing driving abilities in individuals with PNES.
- A systematic review identified eight studies, which lacked strong evidence for driving regulations related to PNES; however, the majority of health professionals believe some restrictions are warranted.
- The report recommends evaluating driving permissions on a case-by-case basis, emphasizing that individuals with active PNES (defined as having a seizure within the past 6 months) should typically be prohibited from driving until further research clarifies accident risks for this group.
Objective: Depressive disorders are common among about 50% of the patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The underlying etiology remains elusive, but hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation due to changes in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein expression could play an important role. Therefore, we set out to investigate expression of the GR in the hippocampus, an important brain region for HPA axis feedback, of patients with drug-resistant TLE, with and without comorbid depression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe allostatic load (AL) index constitutes a useful tool to objectively assess the biological aspects of chronic stress in clinical practice. AL index has been positively correlated with cumulative chronic stress (physical and psychosocial stressors) and with a high risk to develop pathological conditions (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To examine the effects of a three-session psychoeducational intervention on patients diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) in an Argentinian public hospital. It was hypothesized that patients would experience improvements in their understanding of PNES, illness perception and affective scores, but might not necessarily experience a significant change in post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms and in seizure frequency.
Methods: This study included 12 patients (10 women, 2 men) who were invited to participate in a psychoeducational group after receiving a V-EEG confirmed diagnosis of PNES.
Purpose: Previous studies from a few countries have reported semiological differences in younger children compared with adolescents or adults with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs). This study tested the hypothesis that semiological, demographic, and historical risk factors vary with different ages of PNES onset in a large cohort from different countries.
Methods: In this retrospective study, we investigated patients consecutively referred for PNES, who were admitted to epilepsy monitoring units in Iran, Brazil, Venezuela, Canada, Argentina, and USA.
Purpose: The aim of this multicenter international cross-cultural study was to compare clinical variables in a large sample of people with adult-onset psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES).
Methods: In this retrospective study, we evaluated persons with documented PNES, who were older than 16 years of age at the onset, from four countries (i.e.
Purpose: Sex-related differences have been reported in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. It is also plausible to assume that there might be differences between females and males with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES).
Methods: In this retrospective study, we investigated patients with PNES, who were admitted to the epilepsy monitoring units at centers in Iran, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela.
Purpose: We compared various clinical characteristics of pediatric-onset psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) between patients from five countries. The purpose of this study was to advance our understanding of pediatric-onset PNES cross-culturally.
Methods: In this retrospective study, we compared consecutive patients with PNES with an age at onset of 16 years and younger from epilepsy monitoring units in Iran, Brazil, the USA, Canada, and Venezuela.
Purpose: Changes in calbindin (CB) expression have been reported in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with controversial implications on hippocampal functions. The aim of this study was to determine the CB immunoreactivity in hippocampal dentate gyrus of patients who underwent epilepsy surgery for drug-resistant TLE with and without comorbid depression and/or memory deficits.
Methods: Selected hippocampal samples from patients with TLE who underwent epilepsy surgery were included.