The Brain Charity

Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder (NEAD)

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Name	Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder (NEAD)
Related to/Also known as	Functional Neurological Disorder Dissociative Seizures
Symptoms of NEAD	Non-epileptic seizures can look and feel like seizures caused by epilepsy, but they are not actually caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, like epileptic seizures. Instead they are either organic or psychogenic in origin. There are a number of tests available that can help to diagnose NEAD and to distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic seizures.
Types
Useful national contacts	Non Epileptic Attack Disorder (part of FND Action) https://tinyurl.com/y2pevnyy Epilepsy Action Freephone helpline: 0808 800 5050 www.epilepsy.org.uk
Children & young people	NEUROkid information for children and young people diagnosed with NEAD www.neurokid.co.uk Non-epileptic seizures (NES) (Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children) https://tinyurl.com/y2mpqdhw
News and events
Online resources	There are useful factsheets available from the Epilepsy Society and Epilepsy Action: Non-epileptic seizures (Epilepsy Society website) https://tinyurl.com/kn68bo Dissociative seizures (Epilepy Action website) https://tinyurl.com/yakgjts7 Information can also be found at the website: www.nonepilepticattacks.info This is a website developed by a group of healthcare professionals interested in developing effective treatments for NEAD. It is designed to provide patients and families with information about the condition, what causes them and what treatments there are, together with self-help information. NHS Sheffield Teaching Hospitals' factsheet Taking Control of Your Non-Epileptic Seizures (PDF, 2016)
Our resources	The library at The Brain Charity has a range of resources on NEAD and on a wide range of disability-related issues. This includes a copy of NHS Sheffield Teaching Hospitals' factsheet "Taking Control of Your Non-Epileptic Seizures".

Seizures