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Van Patten R, Mordecai K, LaFrance WC. The role of neuropsychology in the care of patients with functional neurological symptom disorder. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38813659 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617724000249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD) is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by signs/symptoms associated with brain network dysfunction. FNSDs are common and are associated with high healthcare costs. FNSDs are relevant to neuropsychologists, as they frequently present with chronic neuropsychiatric symptoms, subjective cognitive concerns, and/or low neuropsychological test scores, with associated disability and reduced quality of life. However, neuropsychologists in some settings are not involved in care of patients with FNSDs. This review summarizes relevant FNSD literature with a focus on the role of neuropsychologists. METHODS A brief review of the literature is provided with respect to epidemiology, public health impact, symptomatology, pathophysiology, and treatment. RESULTS Two primary areas of focus for this review are the following: (1) increasing neuropsychologists' training in FNSDs, and (2) increasing neuropsychologists' role in assessment and treatment of FNSD patients. CONCLUSIONS Patients with FNSD would benefit from increased involvement of neuropsychologists in their care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Van Patten
- Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, VA Providence Healthcare System, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - W Curt LaFrance
- Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, VA Providence Healthcare System, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Asadi-Pooya AA, Farazdaghi M, Asadi-Pooya H, Fazelian K. Depression, anxiety, stress, and suicide risk in patients with functional seizures vs. those with epilepsy. Acta Neurol Belg 2024; 124:169-173. [PMID: 37642895 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-023-02365-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to investigate the rates of positive screening for depression, anxiety, stress, and suicide risk in adults with seizures [i.e., well-matched groups of patients with focal epilepsy vs. idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) vs. functional seizures (FS)]. METHODS This was a cross sectional study. Patients, 19-55 years of age, with a diagnosis of IGE, focal epilepsy or FS were investigated at the outpatient epilepsy clinic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, from September 2022 until January 2023 and during their follow-up visits. We used the validated Farsi version of DASS-21 (Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale) to investigate and screen for depression, anxiety, and stress in these patients. We also used the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI). RESULTS Forty patients with focal epilepsy, 40 persons with IGE, and 40 individuals with FS were included. Depression and anxiety were more prevalent among patients with FS compared with those with epilepsy. The rate of stress among patients with FS was not significantly different compared with that in patients with epilepsy. The suicide risks were not significantly different between the groups either. CONCLUSION Patients with FS are at high risk for psychiatric comorbidities that is comparable or even worse than that in patients with epilepsy. Specific validated scales to screen for psychiatric comorbidities and suicide risk should be integral components of the evaluation and treatment of all patients with seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A Asadi-Pooya
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Department of Neurology, Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Mohsen Farazdaghi
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hanieh Asadi-Pooya
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Khatereh Fazelian
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Van Patten R, Bellone JA. The neuropsychology of functional neurological disorders. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2023; 45:957-969. [PMID: 38441076 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2024.2322798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Van Patten
- VA Providence Healthcare System, Center for Neurorestoration & Neurotechnology, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - John A Bellone
- Department of Behavioral Health, Kaiser Permanente, San Bernardino, CA, USA
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Asadi-Pooya AA, Hallett M, Mirzaei Damabi N, Fazelian Dehkordi K. Genetics of Functional Seizures; A Scoping Systematic Review. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1537. [PMID: 37628589 PMCID: PMC10454456 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence on the genetics of functional seizures is scarce, and the purpose of the current scoping systematic review is to examine the existing evidence and propose how to advance the field. METHODS Web of science and MEDLINE were searched, from their initiation until May 2023. The following key words were used: functional neurological disorder(s), psychogenic neurological disorder(s), functional movement disorder(s), psychogenic movement disorder(s), functional seizures(s), psychogenic seizure(s), nonepileptic seizure(s), dissociative seizure(s), or psychogenic nonepileptic seizure(s), AND, gene, genetic(s), polymorphism, genome, epigenetics, copy number variant, copy number variation(s), whole exome sequencing, or next-generation sequencing. RESULTS We identified three original studies. In one study, the authors observed that six (5.9%) patients with functional seizures carried pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants. In another study, the authors observed that, in functional seizures, there was a significant correlation with genes that are over-represented in adrenergic, serotonergic, oxytocin, opioid, and GABA receptor signaling pathways. In the third study, the authors observed that patients with functional seizures, as well as patients with depression, had significantly different genotypes in FKBP5 single nucleotide polymorphisms compared with controls. CONCLUSION Future genetic investigations of patients with functional seizures would increase our understanding of the pathophysiological and neurobiological problems underlying this common neuropsychological stress-associated condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A. Asadi-Pooya
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 71438, Iran; (N.M.D.); (K.F.D.)
- Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Mark Hallett
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Nafiseh Mirzaei Damabi
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 71438, Iran; (N.M.D.); (K.F.D.)
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Carlson CA. Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures-High Mortality Rate Is a 'Wake-Up Call'. J Pers Med 2023; 13:892. [PMID: 37373881 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13060892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with epilepsy have an elevated mortality rate compared to the general population and now studies are showing a comparable death ratio in patients diagnosed with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. The latter is a top differential diagnosis for epilepsy and the unexpected mortality rate in these patients underscores the importance of an accurate diagnosis. Experts have called for more studies to elucidate this finding but the explanation is already available, embedded in the existing data. To illustrate, a review of the diagnostic practice in epilepsy monitoring units, of the studies examining mortality in PNES and epilepsy patients, and of the general clinical literature on the two populations was conducted. The analysis reveals that the scalp EEG test result, which distinguishes a psychogenic from an epileptic seizure, is highly fallible; that the clinical profiles of the PNES and epilepsy patient populations are virtually identical; and that both are dying of natural and non-natural causes including sudden unexpected death associated with confirmed or suspected seizure activity. The recent data showing a similar mortality rate simply constitutes more confirmatory evidence that the PNES population consists largely of patients with drug-resistant scalp EEG-negative epileptic seizures. To reduce the morbidity and mortality in these patients, they must be given access to treatments for epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Carlson
- Minnesota Judicial Branch Psychological Services Division, Minneapolis, MN 55487, USA
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Szaflarski JP, Allendorfer JB, Goodman AM, Byington CG, Philip NS, Correia S, LaFrance WC. Diagnostic delay in functional seizures is associated with abnormal processing of facial emotions. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 131:108712. [PMID: 35526462 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In patients with functional seizures (FS), delay in diagnosis (DD) may negatively affect outcomes. Altered brain responses to emotional stimuli have been shown in adults with FS. We hypothesized that DD would be associated with differential fMRI activation in emotion processing circuits. METHODS Fifty-two adults (38 females) with video-EEG confirmed FS prospectively completed assessments related to symptoms of depression (BDI-II), anxiety (BAI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-S), a measure of how their symptoms affect day-to-day life (GAF), and fMRI at 3T with emotional faces task (EFT). During fMRI, subjects indicated "male" or "female" via button press while implicitly processing happy, sad, fearful, and neutral faces. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) response to each emotion was modeled and group analyses were performed in AFNI within pre-specified regions-of-interest involved in emotion processing. A median split (507 days) defined short- (s-DD) and long-delay diagnosis (l-DD) groups. Voxelwise regression analyses were also performed to examine linear relationship between DD and emotion processing. FMRI signal was extracted from clusters showing group differences and Spearman's correlations assessed relationships with symptom scores. RESULTS Groups did not differ in FS age of onset, sex distribution, years of education, TBI characteristics, EFT in-scanner or post-test performance, or scores on the GAF, BDI-II, BAI, and PCL-S measures. The s-DD group was younger than l-DD (mean age 32.6 vs. 40.1; p = 0.022) at the time of study participation. After correcting for age, compared to s-DD, the l-DD group showed greater fMRI activation to sad faces in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and to neutral faces in the right anterior insula. Within-group linear regression revealed that with increasing DD, there was increased fMRI activation to sad faces in the PCC and to happy faces in the right anterior insula/inferior frontal gyrus (AI/IFG). There were positive correlations between PCC response to sad faces and BDI-II scores in the l-DD group (rho = 0.48, p = 0.012) and the combined sample (rho = 0.30, p = 0.029). Increased PCC activation to sad faces in those in the l-DD group was associated with worse symptoms of depression (i.e. higher BDI-II score). CONCLUSIONS Delay in FS diagnosis is associated with fMRI changes in PCC and AI/IFG. As part of the default mode network, PCC is implicated in mood control, self-referencing, and other emotion-relevant processes. In our study, PCC changes are linked to depression. Future studies should assess the effects of interventions on these abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy P Szaflarski
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), UAB Epilepsy Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Jane B Allendorfer
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), UAB Epilepsy Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Adam M Goodman
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), UAB Epilepsy Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Caroline G Byington
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), UAB Epilepsy Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Noah S Philip
- VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration & Neurotechnology, VA Providence Healthcare System, Providence, RI, USA; Dept of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephen Correia
- VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration & Neurotechnology, VA Providence Healthcare System, Providence, RI, USA
| | - W Curt LaFrance
- VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration & Neurotechnology, VA Providence Healthcare System, Providence, RI, USA; Dept of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Malda Castillo J, Beton E, Coman C, Howell B, Burness C, Martlew J, Russell L, Town J, Abbass A, Perez Algorta G, Valavanis S. Three sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) for patients with dissociative seizures: a pilot study. PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/02668734.2021.2018623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Malda Castillo
- Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy Hub, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Merseyside, UK
| | - Ella Beton
- Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy Hub, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Merseyside, UK
| | - Conor Coman
- Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy Hub, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Merseyside, UK
| | - Bethany Howell
- Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy Hub, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Merseyside, UK
| | - Chrissie Burness
- Functional Neurological Disorder Pathway, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jayne Martlew
- Functional Neurological Disorder Pathway, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Leo Russell
- Functional Neurological Disorder Service, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Exeter, UK
| | - Joel Town
- The Centre for Emotions and Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Allan Abbass
- The Centre for Emotions and Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | | | - Sophie Valavanis
- Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy Hub, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Merseyside, UK
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Special issue on the intersection between functional seizures and other functional neurological disorders. Epilepsy Behav Rep 2022; 18:100523. [PMID: 35198954 PMCID: PMC8844608 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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