On February 11th, 2017, a 44-year-old woman was rushed to the emergency room, experiencing an attack of primarily left-sided paralysis and an inability to speak. This attack was described as an unusual moment of altered consciousness with no immediate resolution. Our project follows the path of this individual’s differential diagnoses, leading to the final diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). This condition is not well understood because of its puzzling psychological nature and unusual physical manifestation. However, PNES is currently defined as a paroxysmal conversion disorder, identified by the onset of seizure-like episodes, correlated with the absence of abnormal cortical discharge. Beginning with an extensive literature review and an IRB (Institutional Review Board) application, we analyzed this individual’s medical records and pieced together a case report. Based on comparison with published PNES literature, we concluded that the detailed journey of medical examination agrees with this final diagnosis and with current knowledge about this condition. Our goal for this project is providing a more detailed and complete understanding of PNES in relation to this individual’s experiences.


Non_Epileptic_Seizures_A_Case_Report