[Paroxysmal disorders and episodic non-epileptic symptoms]

Abstract

Introduction: Non epileptic paroxysmal events (NEPE) are clinical disorders of usually sudden appearance, brief and originated by a cerebral disfunction of diverse causes with a common character to be no epileptic.

Development: The non epileptic paroxysmal events are more frequent than epileptic events. The 10% of the children have NEPE. The NEPE can to be confounded with epileptic fits. Careful and detailed history and wise valuation of the circumstances of occurrence and the characteristics and duration of the seizures are determined. The history include developmental milestones and search for possible causes of seizure disorders. A complete clinical examination and EEG are essentials in the differential diagnosis. More sophisticated techniques--polygraphy and video EEG monitoring--are of great value in selected and difficult cases.

Conclusions: The NEPE are categorized: anoxic/hypoxia paroxysmal disorders, psychogenic paroxysmal events, paroxysmal events occurring during sleep, paroxysmal events of movements and other episodic symptoms.