J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1990; 2:193-196
Copyright © 1990 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
Anticonvulsant-responsive panic attacks with temporal lobe EEG abnormalities
ME McNamara and BS Fogel
Psychiatric Medical Clinic, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence 02903.
The phenomenology of panic attacks and of complex partial seizures overlap,
and at times distinguishing between the two entities is difficult. The
authors report five patients with recurrent panic attacks and temporal lobe
EEG abnormalities whose symptoms did not warrant a clinical diagnosis of
partial seizures but who responded well to anticonvulsant therapy. The
cases suggest that focal cortical discharges may trigger panic attacks in
some patients in whom an unequivocal diagnosis of epilepsy cannot be made.
Electroencephalography and anticonvulsant trials may be appropriate in
patients with panic attacks refractory to conventional treatment.
