Nonepileptic Stress Induced Seizures

Nonepileptic stress induced seizures (NESs) are paroxysmal events that mimic epileptic seizures, but occur in the absence of epileptogenic brain activity. The term epileptogenic refers to the rhythmic electrical changes that occur in the brain at the time of a true epileptic seizure and cause abnormal mental status, behavior, or movement. These changes are seen as electrographic abnormalities on a diagnostic test called an electroencephalogram (EEG). An NES can consist of sudden alterations in a person’s behavior, which resemble and are often mistaken for epileptic seizures, but occur without organic changes in the brain. These events are generally an unconscious physical manifestation of stress, anxiety, or emotional pain. An NES can be a very troubling entity because patients are frequently misdiagnosed with epilepsy, resulting in ...