Diagnosis of non-epileptic paroxysmal disorders and epileptic seizures

Non-epileptic paroxysmal disorders may clinically manifest in a similar way to epileptic seizures and have to be considered in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy. Syncope, non-epileptic psychogenic seizures, paroxysmal movement disorders, migraine, transient ischemic attacks and parasomnia constitute the major differential diagnoses. A meticulous history and a third party description are useful for the differential diagnosis. Neurological, psychiatric and cardiological examinations are required for the correct differential diagnosis. The interictal electroencephalogram (EEG), which is normal in non-epileptic patients, is frequently normal in epileptic patients at the onset of seizures, but reaches a high sensitivity after repeated recordings. In equivocal cases EEG video monitoring and in the case of suspected cardiac asystole, event recorders are useful diagnostic tools.