Seizure semiology in males with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures is associated with somatic complaints.

Aims: Psychopathology has been studied in patients with epileptic or psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in the context of diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, most PNES studies include few males and do not consider possible gender differences, making findings less generalizable to males with PNES. In this study we specifically compare males with PNES to females with PNES and to males with epilepsy.

Concurrent administration of the MMPI-2 and PAI in a sample of patients with epileptic or non-epileptic seizures: implications for an inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-second edition (MMPI-2) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) are commonly used in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) to evaluate personality characteristics and mood-related symptoms in those individuals being evaluated for epileptic seizures (ES) or psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). A direct comparison of these measures through concurrent administration to the same group has not been carried out. Both measures were administered to 40 patients (17 ES and 23 PNES).

The NAB shape learning subtest as a predictor of lateralized seizure onset.

This study presents the first empirical evaluation of the predictive value of the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery Shape Learning (NAB-SL) subtest in a sample of patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. Stimulus characteristics of the NAB-SL may improve predictive ability over other commonly used visual memory tests. Forty-nine patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy were compared on measures of non-verbal and verbal memory (NAB-SL and Wechsler Memory Scale-III subtests).

Neuropsychological outcome following minimal access subtemporal selective amygdalohippocampectomy.

Purpose: The present study provides a detailed account of neurocognitive outcome following minimal access subtemporal selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH) and establishes rates of neurocognitive decline in the largest sample to date. Use of a subtemporal surgical approach to SAH has been proposed to possibly reduce the risk for postoperative neurocognitive decline since lateral neocortical tissues is not resected and the temporal stem is preserved. The current study extends prior research with subtemporal SAH patients to include not only group level analyses but also analyses based on reliable change data.

Predicting psychogenic nonepileptic seizures with the Personality Assessment Inventory and seizure variables.

Early identification of likely cases of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures may prompt earlier and more appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This study investigated the validity of multiple independent self-report variables in predicting psychogenic nonepileptic versus epileptic seizures. One hundred forty-three patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and 129 patients with epileptic seizures were compared with the Personality Assessment Inventory, age at seizure onset, years since first seizure, and length of seizures.

Motivation, psychopathology, locus of control, and quality of life in women with epileptic and nonepileptic seizures.

To examine factors that may potentially aid in the differential diagnosis and subsequent tailoring of treatment for patients with epileptic (ES) and psychogenic nonepileptic (PNES) seizures, thirty female patients with PNES and 51 female patients with temporal lobe epilepsy were assessed in the areas of motivation, psychopathology, health-related locus of control (HRLOC), and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The two groups demonstrated equivalent levels of motivation, clinically elevated yet comparable mood symptoms, and no general differences in HRLOC. Despite similar mood disturbances in both groups, the participants with PNES had a later age of seizure onset, exhibited greater personality disturbances, attributed more control over their condition to nonphysicians, and endorsed a greater negative impact of their seizures on physical and emotional aspects of HRQOL.

Neuropsychological characteristics of nonepileptic seizure semiological subgroups.

The present study sought to identify neuropsychological characteristics of patients with nonepileptic seizures (NESs) based on seizure semiological subgroups and to make comparisons among NES subgroups and with patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A total of 173 patients with NESs and 180 patients with TLE were included in this study. Statistical comparisons were made between a NES four-subgroup model, a NES two-subgroup model, and patients with TLE on neurocognitive measures.

Anosognosia for hemiplegia with preserved awareness of complete cortical blindness following intracranial hemorrhage.

A 51-year-old woman presented with anosognosia for hemiplegia (AHP), neglect, and a complete loss of vision, for which she was almost immediately aware. Neuroimaging studies revealed intracranial hemorrhages in the medial temporal lobes bilaterally, extending back to the occipital cortex, but sparing the calcarine cortex. A large right frontal-parietal hemorrhage which extended to the posterior body of the corpus callosum was also observed.

A comprehensive neuropsychological profile of women with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

The purpose of this study was to compare the neuropsychological profile of women with VEEG-confirmed diagnoses of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) with that of an age- and education-matched group of women with left temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE). Results indicate that in a relatively homogenous PNES sample, no severe neurocognitive impairments were present, further supporting a psychologically versus neurologically driven pathology of PNES. In comparison to age-stratified normative data, the PNES group demonstrated only a modest deficiency across neuropsychological domains and a relative area of weakness in attention and working memory, and generally outperformed their counterparts with LTLE.