A comparison of patients with epileptic seizures (ES) versus those with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) on a measure of alexithymia and mood

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00023884%3A_____%2F24%3A00009815" target="_blank" >RIV/00023884:_____/24:00009815 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38897162/" target="_blank" >https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38897162/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2024.06.010" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.seizure.2024.06.010</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

A comparison of patients with epileptic seizures (ES) versus those with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) on a measure of alexithymia and mood

Original language description

Objective To compare persons with epilepsy (PWE) to those with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) on measures of depression, anxiety, and alexithymia subscales (i.e., difficulty identifying emotions, difficulty describing emotions, and external-oriented thinking). Material and methods In this retrospective study, 235 epilepsy patients and 90 patients with PNES were evaluated between 2012 to 2020 at the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group. These patients had completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), The Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale (CES-D) and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Background information was collected regarding work/student/disability status at the time of the evaluation history of psychiatric diagnosis; psychological trauma; and involvement in psychotherapy either at the time of the evaluation or prior. Results Significant differences between PWEs and those with PNES were found not only in historical data (e.g., Psychiatric History, History of Trauma, and History of Therapy) (p< .001) but also on measures of Depression (p= .002) and Anxiety (p< .001). ANOVA analysis also revealed significant differences in the distribution of the TAS-Total score, TAS-Describing emotions, and TAS-Identifying emotions. Using logistic regression (stepwise model) the optimal set of predictors for a differential diagnosis of epilepsy and PNES was combination of TAS-Identifying emotions score, history of psychological trauma, and history of therapy. The accuracy of the prediction was determined to be 80.2%. Conclusions Although higher alexithymia rates are present in PNES and PWEs, clinicians may find a combination of TAS-Identifying Emotion score, history of trauma, and history of psychotherapy useful in supporting a differential diagnosis. Also, a subgroup may exist among those with PNES with high levels of alexithymia, depression, and anxiety that may require a different treatment approach focused on addressing difficulties in identifying and describing their emotions and their other symptomatology.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

50102 - Psychology, special (including therapy for learning, speech, hearing, visual and other physical and mental disabilities);

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Seizure-european Journal of Epilepsy

ISSN

1059-1311

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

120

Issue of the periodical within the volume

August

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

8

Pages from-to

33-40

UT code for WoS article

001260215000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85196184838