Closing the Major Gap in PNES Research: Finding a Home for a Borderland Disorder

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are events commonly encountered by primary care physicians, neurologists, pediatricians, and emergency medicine physicians in their practices, yet there continues to be significant variability in the way they are evaluated, diagnosed, and treated. Lack of understanding this condition and limited data on long-term outcome from current treatment paradigms have resulted in an environment with iatrogenic injury, morbidity, and significant costs to the patient and healthcare system. This article will review the current state of research addressing PNES treatment both in the adult and pediatric populations.