A suggestive seizure induction technique protocol in a short EEG in children and adolescents

Monika Starczewska; Izabela Kaczmarek; Anna Winczewska-Wiktor; Marcin Żarowski; Barbara Steinborn

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109277

A suggestive seizure induction technique protocol in a short EEG in children and adolescents

Epilepsy Behav. 2023 Aug:145:109277. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109277. Epub 2023 Jun 16.

Authors

Monika Starczewska¹, Izabela Kaczmarek², Anna Winczewska-Wiktor³, Marcin Żarowski⁴, Barbara Steinborn⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Developmental Neurology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland; Laboratory of Polysomnography and Sleep Research for Children and Adolescents, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: monikastarczewska@ump.edu.pl.
² Department of Developmental Neurology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland; Laboratory of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Department of Developmental Neurology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: ikaczmarek@ump.edu.pl.
³ Department of Developmental Neurology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: awwiktor@ump.edu.pl.
⁴ Department of Developmental Neurology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland; Laboratory of Polysomnography and Sleep Research for Children and Adolescents, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: zarowski@ump.edu.pl.
⁵ Department of Developmental Neurology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49 Street, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: bstein@ump.edu.pl.

PMID: 37331208
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109277

Abstract

The use of a suggestive seizure induction procedure (SSI) in medicine, particularly in the differential diagnosis of psychogenic nonepileptic epileptic seizures (PNES), is well documented. However, there is no description of standardized suggestion procedures used in children and adolescents. The research presents a standardized method of SSI with a cotton swab soaked in water. The protocol was developed based on of 544 placebo trials over ten years in a center for the differential diagnosis of children and adolescents. The protocol is a safe tool that allows inducing specific behavior in children and adolescents in whom there is a well-founded suspicion of PNES.

Keywords: Children epilepsy; Differentiation diagnosis; Electroencephalography; Protocol; Psychogenic nonepileptic seizure; Suggestion.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Conversion Disorder* / psychology
Diagnosis, Differential
Electroencephalography / methods
Epilepsy* / psychology
Humans
Seizures / diagnosis
Seizures / psychology