Pseudoseizure is defined as which?

• A. Epileptic Seizure
• B. Syncope
• C. Fake/False Seizure
• D. Nonepileptic Stroke

Answer: (C)

Pseudoseizure is a non-epileptic seizure that mimics epilepsy but is not caused by abnormal brain electrical activity. It’s best understood as a false or psychogenic event—often referred to as a psychogenic non-epileptic seizure—where the outward seizure-like symptoms occur without the electrophysiologic changes seen in true epileptic seizures. In practice, this distinction matters because management focuses on safety and addressing potential psychological factors rather than long-term anticonvulsant treatment.

Epileptic seizures involve true epileptic activity in the brain, so they would typically have abnormal EEG findings and a characteristic pattern of convulsions. Syncope (fainting) is a loss of consciousness due to reduced blood flow to the brain and may resemble a seizure but has different features (rapid recovery, absence of typical seizure progression). Nonepileptic stroke isn’t a recognized diagnosis in this context.