| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of this thesis: To evaluate the manifestation of dissociative seizure disorder in clinical practice, assess diagnostic challenges, review the latest literature on treatment options and future prognosis. Materials and methods: Conducted a literature review and analysis of a case report. The subject of the clinical case was a patient from the Vilnius City Mental Health Center who was treated for dissociative seizure episodes. The literature review included a systematic search of studies published in worldwide databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), NCBI, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria were as follows: studies involving patients with dissociative seizure disorder, open-access articles, and scientific publications in English. The exclusion criteria included non-English scientific articles, studies that did not specifically focus on dissociative seizure disorder, and articles without full-text open access. Results: Dissociative seizures are frequently misdiagnosed as epilepsy, highlighting the necessity of thorough clinical evaluation and differential diagnosis, including electroencephalography during an episode. The clinical case analysis revealed that patients with dissociative seizures often have a history of psychosocial trauma, comorbid psychiatric disorders, or experience significant emotional stressors. It was observed that antiepileptic drugs are ineffective in treating these seizures, emphasizing the importance of psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and emotional self-regulation strategies as primary therapeutic interventions. Conclusions: Dissociative seizures are a functional neuropsychiatric disorder that presents diagnostic challenges due to its clinical overlap with epilepsy. Accurate diagnosis and prevention of unnecessary treatments require a comprehensive assessment, including detailed anamnesis, electroencephalography monitoring, and psychological evaluation. Studies confirm that antiepileptic medications are ineffective for treating dissociative seizures, underscoring the necessity of prioritizing psychotherapeutic interventions. Additionally, dissociative seizures significantly impact social, academic, and professional functioning, necessitating long-term psychosocial support to maintain patient stability. |
