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Abnormal somatosensory evoked potentials in two patients with conversion disorder
Kazim M Yazici1, Mehmet Demirci, Basaran Demir
1Department of Psychiatry, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. kyazici@hacettepe.edu.tr
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
|March 11, 2004
Summary
Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) can help differentiate neurological from hysterical conditions. Two patients showed absent SEP responses during gait disturbance, which improved upon recovery, suggesting a link to conversion phenomena.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) are established neurophysiological tools for differentiating neurological disorders from functional (hysterical) conditions.
- Gait disturbance is a common neurological symptom with diverse etiologies, including functional neurological disorders.
Observation:
- The study observed two patients presenting with severe gait disturbance.
- During the symptomatic period, these patients exhibited a near-total absence of scalp-recorded SEP responses.
- Motor evoked potentials (MEP) were not detailed in this specific observation but are mentioned as a comparative clinical tool.
Findings:
- A significant finding was the near-complete lack of SEP responses in patients with severe gait disturbance during the acute phase.
- These SEP responses normalized following the resolution of the gait disturbance and recovery.
- The observed pattern suggests a correlation between SEP abnormalities and the symptomatic presentation of conversion phenomena.
Implications:
- The findings suggest that SEP testing may offer objective biomarkers for conversion phenomena, particularly those manifesting as gait disturbance.
- This research contributes to understanding the neurophysiological underpinnings of functional neurological symptoms.
- Further investigation into brain correlates of conversion disorders using SEP could refine diagnostic approaches and inform treatment strategies.