Neurobehavior and temporal-lobe epilepsy
pp. 157-177
in: William E. Fann, Ismet Karacan, Alex D. Pokorný, Robert L. Williams (eds), Phenomenology and treatment of psychophysiological disorders, Berlin, Springer, 1982Abstract
Epileptic seizures refer to an intermittent paroxysmal derangement of central-nervous-system functioning due to abnormal neuronal discharge. The Epilepsy Foundation of America states that four million Americans are afflicted with this problem (1). This high prevalence makes it likely that many psychiatrists will encounter epileptic patients. It is therefore important to know about epilepsy, even were there no relationship between epilepsy and psychiatric disorders, other than the chance coexistence of both problems in the same patient. For at least a century, however, the study of epilepsy has continued to raise important controversial questions about the psychiatric functioning of epileptics. These questions are particularly pertinent to the variety of seizures upon which this review will focus: temporal-lobe or psychomotor seizures. Such questions may provide insight into the underlying nature of psychological processes of all individuals.