Question

You are called to a local gas station to treat a 15-year-old female with seizure-like activity. Her parents state that she has no history of seizures but is bipolar and was very upset before the episode. Seizure-like activity triggered by mood disorders or severe environmental stress is defined as which of the following?

A - A general seizure
B - A stress seizure
C - A pseudo-seizure
D - A partial seizure

Answer 1

Seizure-like activity associated with mood disorders or stress without electrical disruptions in the brain is defined as a pseudo-seizure, which is psychological rather than neurological in origin.

Step-by-step explanation:

Seizure-like activity triggered by mood disorders or severe environmental stress, as described in the scenario involving a 15-year-old female, is defined as a pseudo-seizure. Unlike epileptic seizures that are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain and may have various causes such as brain injury, disease, or genetic factors, pseudo-seizures are psychological in nature. They can be a response to mental health issues, such as bipolar disorder, and are not caused by the same type of electrical disruptions in the brain that characterize epilepsy. In the case mentioned, the patient's bipolar disorder and emotional distress likely contributed to the seizure-like activity.