[Non-epileptic seizures]

Following definition of the non-epileptic seizures terminological problems are discussed and the symptomatology and classification of these seizures are described. Four main groups are differentiated: anoxic cerebral seizures, hypnic cerebral seizures, metabolic cerebral seizures and psychic seizures. Within the first group we have to distinguish between seizures caused by ischaemia, asphyxia and anoxia. The generalized ischaemic anoxic seizures--the syncopes--are differentiated into vegetative seizures (vagotonic, asympathicotonic, sympathicotonic) and into syncopes caused by cardiac disturbances. Disturbances of sleep rhythm are to be seen in narcolepsy, periodic hypersomnia, Kleine-Levin syndrome and Pickwickian syndrome. The group of metabolic seizures includes hypoglycaemic seizures, seizures in phäochromocytoma, in Addison's disease and Conn's syndrome and the tetanic seizures.