Frequency of panic symptoms in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

This study investigates the frequency of symptoms of panic attack in a sample of adults (n = 18) and adolescents (n = 21) who were evaluated for intractable seizure disorder and diagnosed with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for symptoms associated with their typical seizure events as documented by the attending epileptologist. Adolescents, as a group, reported significantly more symptoms of panic attack than adults. Three adolescents met the full criteria for a panic attack, while no adults met these criteria. In addition, while numerous adults endorsed no panic symptoms associated with their PNES episodes, all adolescents endorsed at least one symptom. Implications of results are discussed in terms of the diagnosis and treatment of PNES in the different age groups.