A Multidisciplinary Approach to Nonepileptic Events

Abstract

Objective: This article provides a guide for neurologists managing nonepileptic events (NEEs), a complex intersection of neurology and psychiatry. It covers risk factors, pathophysiology, current treatment approaches, and prognosis, with specific management strategies for challenging scenarios such as patients with intellectual disabilities and comorbid epilepsy.

Latest developments: An emphasis on strong communication and coordinated care among health care specialists improves patient outcomes and reduces unnecessary medical consultations and procedures. This approach is now recognized as essential for addressing the complex presentation and comorbidities associated with NEEs.

Essential points: NEEs are prevalent and highly disabling, and multiple pathophysiologic mechanisms for these events have been proposed. Mortality is comparable with that of patients with treatment-refractory epilepsy, and prognosis is better for children than adults. Achievable treatment goals for adults include improved quality of life and reduced frequency and severity of events, even if complete remission of NEEs is not achieved. Enhanced communication and coordinated care through multidisciplinary care teams enable the efficient use of individual expertise at different treatment stages to address the presentation, risk factors, and comorbidities associated with NEEs, resulting in a better quality of life for patients.