Aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse zur Neuropsychologie dissoziativer Anfälle

Dissociative seizures are complex and often inadequately understood symptoms at the interface between physical and mental phenomena. This is a problem in both children and adolescents as well as in adults, as the diagnostics and treatment planning often remain unsatisfactory without sufficient understanding of the disorder. This narrative review provides an overview of current research results on the understanding of dissociative seizures from a neuropsychological perspective. Both clinical and basic scientific aspects are considered and illuminated for children, adolescents, and adults. In the current basic research on dissociative seizures the main focus is on the role of emotions, arousal states and the perception of bodily signals. In addition to questionnaire and behavioral studies, this also involves the use of experimental neuroscientific methods. This article also presents a current, integrative approach to the role of emotions. From the overview of the neuropsychology of dissociative seizures, important aspects for a better understanding of the condition as well as indications for therapeutic approaches can be derived. Moreover, this research particularly highlights the physical reality of the psychological state.