Functional Seizures

How it works

Risks & contraindications

Background

Evidence quality

Highlighted claims

• Functional seizures are not attributable to underlying brain pathology and are instead considered to arise from psychological mechanisms. — Breathing control training as a treatment for functional seizures (BREATHS trial): a multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled efficacy and acceptability trial study protocol
• Mortality from functional seizures is elevated to a degree comparable with epilepsy, while quality of life is significantly worse. — Breathing control training as a treatment for functional seizures (BREATHS trial): a multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled efficacy and acceptability trial study protocol
• Functional seizures have an incidence of 7 per 100,000 per year and a prevalence of roughly 0.05% of the general population. — Breathing control training as a treatment for functional seizures (BREATHS trial): a multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled efficacy and acceptability trial study protocol
• Women are affected by functional seizures approximately three times more often than men, with a median onset age in the thirties. — Breathing control training as a treatment for functional seizures (BREATHS trial): a multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled efficacy and acceptability trial study protocol
• A systematic review found no validated psychotherapeutic treatments offering sustained benefit for functional seizures. — Breathing control training as a treatment for functional seizures (BREATHS trial): a multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled efficacy and acceptability trial study protocol
• Patient adherence to psychological interventions for functional seizures is poor, largely due to stigmatisation associated with psychiatric diagnoses. — Breathing control training as a treatment for functional seizures (BREATHS trial): a multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled efficacy and acceptability trial study protocol