Abstracts

Rationale: This study retrospectively analyzes video EEG monitoring videos of PNES cases at the Lahey Clinic admitted from 2002-2008 in order to determine the first clinical manifestation at seizure onset in PNES patients and to determine whether this remains consistent in multiple spells recorded for the same patient. Methods: Data from patients admitted for video EEG monitoring at Lahey Clinic from 2002-2008 without EEG changes during spells and clinical manifestations consistent with PNES were included in the study. Video-EEG monitoring was analyzed for each patient along with demographic data, handedness, and occupation. Results: 32 records were included in the analysis. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates that the majority of clinical manifestations included minor motor movements which were remarkably consistent in the same patient and generally were anticipated by the patient. Conclusions: The study indicates that clinical manifestations of PNES in our sample are characteristically specific for each patient and that the presence of an audience represented by video equipment does not seem to increase the theatricality of the observed behavior.