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July 06, 2010; 75 (1) Contemporary Issues in Neurologic Practice

Psychogenic nonepileptic “seizures” or “attacks”?

It's not just semantics: Seizures

W. Curt LaFrance
First published July 5, 2010, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181e62181
W. Curt LaFrance Jr.
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Psychogenic nonepileptic “seizures” or “attacks”?
It's not just semantics: Seizures
W. Curt LaFrance
Neurology Jul 2010, 75 (1) 87-88; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181e62181

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Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are paroxysmal, time-limited alterations of bodily/mental function, manifested in movement, behavior, or sensations that are of psychological etiology. The seizures in PNES can resemble epileptic seizures; however, they differ in that epileptic seizures are manifestations of abnormal synchronized cortical neuronal activity (epileptiform discharges) usually visualized on EEG. Recent literature has abandoned the use of older PNES terminology such as pseudoseizures and hysteroepilepsy, possibly because of definition ambiguity and possibly because those pejorative terms distance patients from providers.

Some clinicians have requested changing the term PNES to psychogenic nonepileptic attacks to distinguish nonepileptic seizures from “true seizures” and thus avoid misunderstanding. While there may be some controversy about PNES terminology, I submit that the terminology of PNES should stand on …

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Letters: Rapid online correspondence

  • Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"?: It's not just semantics: Seizures
    • Chafic Karam, BIMC-AECOM, 353 East 18th Street, New York, NY 10003kpieper@neurology.org
    • NONE
    Submitted September 22, 2010
  • Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"?: It's not just semantics: Seizures
    • Richard B.T. Cowan, Buffalo Psychiatric Center, 94 Greenaway Rd, Amherst NY 14226kpieper@neurology.org
    • NONE
    Submitted September 22, 2010
  • Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"?: It's not just semantics: Seizures
    • Nitin K. Sethi, Weill Cornell Medical Center, 525 E. 68th Street, New York, NY 10065kpieper@neurology.org
    • Prahlad Sethi (New Delhi, India; sethiprahlad@hotmail.com), Josh Torgovnick (New York, NY; drjosh49@msn.com), Edward Arsura (New York, NY; arsura2@verizon.net)
    Submitted September 22, 2010
  • Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"?: It's not just semantics: Seizures
    • Vesper Fe Marie L Ramos, University of Nebraska Med Center, Omaha, NE 68198-2045kpieper@neurology.org
    • Maria Lourdes Ramos (Manila, Philippines mramos@ateneo.edu), Hazel Melanie Ramos (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; hazel-melanie.ramos@nottingham.edu.my
    Submitted September 22, 2010
  • Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"?: It's not just semantics: Seizures
    • William M. Landau, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110kpieper@neurology.org
    • NONE
    Submitted September 22, 2010
  • Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"?: It's not just semantics: Seizures
    • Selim Benbadis, University of South Florida, 2 Tampa General Circle, Tampa, FL 33606kpieper@neurology.org
    • NONE
    Submitted September 22, 2010
  • Reply from the author
    • W. Curt LaFrance, Jr, Rhode Island Hospital/ Brown Medical School, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903kpieper@neurology.org
    • NONE
    Submitted September 22, 2010
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