Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
See Trial Lecture.
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Markus Reuber, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Second opponent: Professor Bettina Schmitz, Vivantes Hospital Humboldt, Germany
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Bjørnar Hassel, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor II Erik Taubøll, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Professor II Morten Ingvar Lossius, University of Oslo
Summary
Patients with functional/dissociative seizures (FDS) are commonly seen in neurological practice. FDS is a functional neurological disorder and associated with high rates of disability and economic stagnation.
The articles included in this thesis provided, to the best of our knowledge, the first population-based estimates of the prevalence of FDS in a particular population. The highest prevalence was found in adolescents.
In a prospective cohort study from the National Center for Epilepsy, the long-term prognosis of FDS was poor. At follow-up (mean duration of almost 6 years), 61% of patients diagnosed with FDS continued to experience seizures. We found that attachment anxiety, female gender, and self-rated executive dysfunction were risk factors for persistent FDS.
Knowledge about the occurrence, long-term outcomes, and risk factors for the persistence of FDS are important both for the patients and the clinicians involved with this patient group, as well as for planning of healthcare services.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.