Abstract
Supplementary motor seizures (SMS) are among the group of frontal lobe seizures that may often be misdiagnosed as pseudoseizures (PS). We designed this study to determine the value of clinical phenomena in distinguishing between the two. In a series of patients with SMS, we identified those with signs and symptoms mimicking PS and compared the clinical phenomena with those of clinically similar PS. We found that SMS are short in duration, stereotypic, tend to occur in sleep, and often present with a tonic contraction of the upper extremities in abduction. This sign was specific for SMS, particularly when occurring at the onset. Conversely, PS are long in duration, nonstereotypic, and occur in the awake state. We conclude that clinical phenomena may be useful in distinguishing PS from SMS, although the final diagnosis must be documented by neurophysiologic means.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1404-1407 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Neurology |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| State | Published - Sep 1990 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Supplementary motor seizures mimicking pseudoseizures : Some clinical differences. / Kanner, Andres M; Morris, H. H.; Lüders, H.; Dinner, D. S.; Wyllie, E.; Medendorp, S. V.; Rowan, A. J.
In: Neurology, Vol. 40, No. 9, 09.1990, p. 1404-1407.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Supplementary motor seizures mimicking pseudoseizures
T2 - Some clinical differences
AU - Kanner, Andres M
AU - Morris, H. H.
AU - Lüders, H.
AU - Dinner, D. S.
AU - Wyllie, E.
AU - Medendorp, S. V.
AU - Rowan, A. J.
PY - 1990/9
Y1 - 1990/9
N2 - Supplementary motor seizures (SMS) are among the group of frontal lobe seizures that may often be misdiagnosed as pseudoseizures (PS). We designed this study to determine the value of clinical phenomena in distinguishing between the two. In a series of patients with SMS, we identified those with signs and symptoms mimicking PS and compared the clinical phenomena with those of clinically similar PS. We found that SMS are short in duration, stereotypic, tend to occur in sleep, and often present with a tonic contraction of the upper extremities in abduction. This sign was specific for SMS, particularly when occurring at the onset. Conversely, PS are long in duration, nonstereotypic, and occur in the awake state. We conclude that clinical phenomena may be useful in distinguishing PS from SMS, although the final diagnosis must be documented by neurophysiologic means.
AB - Supplementary motor seizures (SMS) are among the group of frontal lobe seizures that may often be misdiagnosed as pseudoseizures (PS). We designed this study to determine the value of clinical phenomena in distinguishing between the two. In a series of patients with SMS, we identified those with signs and symptoms mimicking PS and compared the clinical phenomena with those of clinically similar PS. We found that SMS are short in duration, stereotypic, tend to occur in sleep, and often present with a tonic contraction of the upper extremities in abduction. This sign was specific for SMS, particularly when occurring at the onset. Conversely, PS are long in duration, nonstereotypic, and occur in the awake state. We conclude that clinical phenomena may be useful in distinguishing PS from SMS, although the final diagnosis must be documented by neurophysiologic means.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025050655&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025050655&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 2392226
AN - SCOPUS:0025050655
VL - 40
SP - 1404
EP - 1407
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
SN - 0028-3878
IS - 9
ER -