The authors administered the Structured Clinic Interview for DSM-III-R
(SCID) to 20 outpatients with nonepileptic seizures documented by video-
EEG. Fourteen (70%) had one or more non-somatoform DSM-III-R diagnoses. All
14 met criteria for panic disorder. Comorbid mood, psychotic, substance
abuse, and eating disorders were also noted. Meticulous use of the SCID,
with extensive follow-up, may have resulted in enhanced detection of panic
disorder in patients who do not spontaneously report panic symptoms. Panic
attacks may play a more important role in nonepileptic seizures than has
been generally recognized, especially in outpatients with a chronic course
of illness.Abstract Teaser