EJMCR |

Case Report

Volume: 4 | Issue: 1 | Published: Feb 06, 2020 | Pages: 19 - 24 | DOI: 10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778

Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy

Authors: Mahmoud A. Awara , Joshua G. Smalley , Matt Havenga , ManalO. Elnenaei

Article Info

Authors

Mahmoud A. Awara

Associate Professor in Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Joshua G. Smalley

Resident Physician, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Matt Havenga

Resident Physician, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

ManalO. Elnenaei

Associate Professor, Chief of Services in Clinical Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Publication History

Received: May 17, 2019

Accepted: December 10, 2019

Published: February 06, 2020

Abstract

Background: It is well known that psychotic symptoms can occur as a result of seizure activity in the brain. This can easily be diagnosed in those with recognizable seizures by taking a careful history. However, in the absence of a typical seizure presentation, it is far more challenging to differentiate between an organic and primary psychosis. Case Presentation: We present the case of a 51-year-old female who had a 28-year history of treatment-resistant schizophrenia. She did not report or display any seizure activity, and an extensive investigation was unremarkable. The unusual nature of her psychopathology, which was predominantly visual hallucinations and somatic delusions, and the difficult to treat nature of her symptoms, prompted investigation with Electroencephalograph which demonstrated bilateral temporal lobe epileptic activity. Conclusion: Treatment with divalproex sodium and discontinuation of antipsychotic medication achieved an excellent response, where her visual hallucinations and somatic delusions were both remarkably ameliorated.

Keywords: Schizophrenia, psychosis, non-convulsive seizures, treatment-resistant, green

Pubmed Style

Mahmoud A. Awara, Joshua G. Smalley, Matt Havenga, ManalO. Elnenaei. Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy. EJMCR. 2020; 06 (February 2020): 19-24. doi:10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778

Web Style

Mahmoud A. Awara, Joshua G. Smalley, Matt Havenga, ManalO. Elnenaei. Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy. https://ejmcr.com/articles/1464 [Access: December 25, 2024]. doi:10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Mahmoud A. Awara, Joshua G. Smalley, Matt Havenga, ManalO. Elnenaei. Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy. EJMCR. (2020), [cited December 25, 2024]; 06 (February 2020): 19-24. doi:10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778

Harvard Style

Mahmoud A. Awara, Joshua G. Smalley, Matt Havenga, ManalO. Elnenaei (2020) Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy. EJMCR, 06 (February 2020): 19-24. doi:10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778

Chicago Style

Mahmoud A. Awara, Joshua G. Smalley, Matt Havenga, ManalO. Elnenaei. "Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy." 06 (2020), 19-24. doi:10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Mahmoud A. Awara, Joshua G. Smalley, Matt Havenga, ManalO. Elnenaei (2020) Trials and Tribulations of Diagnosing and Managing Psychosis Secondary to Non-Convulsive Epilepsy. , 06 (February 2020), 19-24. doi:10.24911/ejmcr/173-1558018778