[On the so-called "hysteroepilepsy"].

The authors examined on an outpatient basis 14 patients treated previously at the Neurological Department, Institute of Psychoneurology in Warsaw or at the Neurological Department of the Grochów Hospital in the years 1965--1972 in whom epilepsy had been diagnosed but who had also had hysterical seizures. Young women aged 20--30 years with temporal-lobe epilepsy prevailed in this group. In most of them hysterical seizures appeared within 5 years after the first epileptic seizure when the frequency of true seizures decreased. In more than half these patients it was possible to find a connection between the occurrence of hypsterical seizures and conflict situations. Psychiatric examination failed to find in most cases any symptoms of epileptic characteropathy, but mood disturbances of the type of depression with dysphoria were disclosed, other findings included immature personality, egocentrism and extraversion. Although the clinical material reviewed by the authors contained only a negligible proportion of cases, it may be possible that they are more numerous among outpatients and the correct diagnosis of these cases is particularly important for further treatment since anticonvulsants are insufficient and sociotherapy with psychotherapy are indicated.