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Current Psychiatry Reports
Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports 12/2020

01-12-2020 | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | SEX AND GENDER ISSUES IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (CN EPPERSON AND L HANTSOO, SECTION EDITORS)

Sex Effects on Coping, Dissociation, and PTSD in Patients With Non-epileptic Seizures

Authors: Randi Libbon, Sarah Baker, Meagan Watson, Crystal Natvig, Laura Strom, Susan Mikulich

Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports | Issue 12/2020

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Sex differences in non-epileptic seizures (NES) are of interest, as the diagnosis is more frequent in women than men (3:1 ratio). This paper reviews clinical findings regarding sex differences in NES through selective literature review and compares coping measures between women and men in our NES clinic.

Recent Findings

Some distinguishing clinical features of NES in women and men are reported in the literature. However, we found few sex differences in demographics and coping. In our population, avoidance and dissociation were strongly related to one another and significantly related to co-occurring PTSD diagnosis, which was seen in over 50% in both sexes.

Summary

Our findings confirm a high prevalence of PTSD in patients with NES, suggesting that comorbid PTSD may override sex differences in accounting for use of avoidant and dissociative coping. These findings raise the possibility that NES may, at times, represent an extreme variant in dysfunctional coping in patients with PTSD.
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Metadata
Title
Sex Effects on Coping, Dissociation, and PTSD in Patients With Non-epileptic Seizures
Authors
Randi Libbon
Sarah Baker
Meagan Watson
Crystal Natvig
Laura Strom
Susan Mikulich
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Psychiatry Reports / Issue 12/2020
Print ISSN: 1523-3812
Electronic ISSN: 1535-1645
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-01192-x

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