Abstracts

RATIONALE: To examine the effect of gender on neuropsychological findings in subjects with nonepileptic (NES) and epileptic seizures. METHODS: 59 women and 27 men, all at least 16 years old, with only NES, as documented by longterm EEG video monitor studies, were compared to equal numbers of randomly selected women and men with only epileptic seizures. Age, age of onset, education, WAIS-R IQ results, number of tests outside normal limits from the Neuropsychological Battery for Epilepsy, and MMPI findings were examined. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in mean age, WAIS-R IQ findings, or in the number of neuropsychological tests outside normal limits between the four groups. Women and men with NES had significantly later age of onset of seizures comred to subjects of either gender with epilepsy (26 years vs. 13 years, p < .001) and men with NES had greater educational levels than women with NES or patients with epilepsy (p < .01). However, the greatest differences were seen in the MMPI profiles. Men with NES exhibited marked elevations on multiple scales (especially Hs, D, Hy, and Sc) that were significantly greater than seen in men with epilepsy or women with either epileptic or NES. CONCLUSIONS: in general, men with NES have significantly worse patterns of emotional adjustment, as measured by the MMPI, then women with NES or in subjects with epilepsy.