The phenomenology of psychosis associated with complex partial seizure disorder.
Ann Clin Psychiatry March 1, 1997 DOI: 10.1023/a:1026230308668 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychosis resulting from complex partial seizure disorder (CPSD) is often misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar illness, or psychotic depression. This organic mental disorder has distinct clinical features that can distinguish it from other psychoses. It responds to limbic anticonvulsants, with or without neuroleptics or lithium, but is generally refractory to neuroleptics alone. The author reviews literature on the clinical phenomenology and treatment of this topic and illustrates the clinical profiles of 10 treatment-refractory patients admitted to a state hospital with previously undiagnosed psychoses secondary to CPSD. This illness should be considered in the differential diagnosis of severely ill patients with atypical psychoses refractory to traditional treatments.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review with case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Treatment-refractory patients admitted to a state hospital with previously undiagnosed psychoses secondary to CPSD |
| Interventions | limbic anticonvulsants neuroleptics lithium |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key finding | Psychosis secondary to complex partial seizure disorder is often misdiagnosed as functional psychoses but can be successfully treated with limbic anticonvulsants. |
Abstract
Psychosis commonly occurs as a direct result of complex partial seizure disorder (CPSD). This organic mental disorder is indeed "complex" and is easily and frequently misdiagnosed as a variety of functional disorders, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar illness, psychotic depression, and, at best, "atypical psychosis." However, this important clinical syndrome has several clinical features that suggest its presence and which often permit it to be distinguished from other forms of psychosis. Furthermore, this disorder can be successfully treated with limbic anticonvulsants, with or without neuroleptics and/or lithium, but it is generally refractory to neuroleptic medications alone. In this paper, the author reviews the available literature relevant to the clinical phenomenology and treatment of this topic and illustrates the clinical profiles of 10 treatment-refractory patients admitted to a state hospital with previously undiagnosed psychoses secondary to CPSD. This illness needs to be seriously considered in the differential diagnosis of severely ill patients with atypical psychoses refractory to traditional treatments.