Investigating self-perception of emotion in non-epileptic seizures
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating self-perception of emotion in individuals with non-epileptic seizures (NES): using a heartbeat perception task and a Stroop task to test for interoceptive accuracy and executive functioning.
IRAS ID
238490
Contact name
Shaista Meer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
researchregistry4296, Research Registry database
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 28 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Individuals with non-epileptic seizures (NES) experience episodes that look similar to those of epileptic seizures, although they are not caused by abnormal epileptogenic brain activity. Therefore, these episodes are often believed to be the result of psychological processes - in particular aberrant emotional processing. Patients with NES represent up to 33% of patients seen in epilepsy out-patient services(Cragar et al, 2002).
There is no single explanation for the cause of NES (Brown and Reuber, 2016; Kaplan et al, 2013; Myers et al, 2013; Tojek et al, 2000). Many theories involve the idea that NES are the result of problems with emotional processes, and that NES occur because of a misrecognition of emotions. A process called Alexithymia, which refers to difficulties in detecting and expressing one’s own emotions (Karlsson et al, 2008), is often implicated.
The aim of this research is to investigate whether individuals with NES demonstrate atypical patterns in detecting and processing emotions. Patients with NES will be recruited from NHS clinics to complete questionnaires and tasks designed to test their ability to perceive their own emotions. This will be investigated using a heartbeat perception task that requires patients to count their own heartbeats, and a computer based task (eStroop task) requiring a response to words displayed on the screen. Height and weight measurements will be taken also to calculate BMI. The process of completing the tasks and questionnaires will take around 1 hour.
Results from patients' performance on the tasks and answers to the questionnaires will be compared against responses from participants without NES. The control sample has already been recruited from the University of Leeds and completed testing.Summary of Research
In March 2020 a study amendment had been approved to extend the recruitment date to October 2020. At that stage only two patients (of the 30 required) had been recruited. Due to the pandemic, study recruitment could not continue whilst the country was in lockdown.After months of discussion with supervisors, an amendment was prepared to restart recruitment once some face-to-face clinics were running again. However, clinics were running at a reduced capacity due to social distancing measures. Additionally, some patients were not attending appointments. Taking this into consideration, it was finally decided that it was not feasible to continue to try and recruit patients.
Therefore, there are no results to report yet. The study will be written up as a chapter in the student’s thesis
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/YH/0242
Date of REC Opinion
14 Aug 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion