Complex partial and pseudoseizure disorders

Abstract

The differentiation of ictal and nonictal seizure disorders is difficult, particularly in patients suffering partial seizures with complex symptomatology. Observation of a patient''s habitual seizure during EEG recording is the ideal diagnostic tool; the method of seizure activation with sphenoidal electrodes and simultaneous audio-visual monitoring is described. The necessity for early, aggressive treatment of ictal and nonictal seizure disorders, risks to the patient if the incorrect diagnosis is made, and the necessity for further cooperation between psychiatrists and neurologists in this borderland area are emphasized.