Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan

That's an extreme example. But for a neurologist dealing with these kind of issues, it's also a common example.

That's an extreme example. But for a neurologist dealing with these kind of issues, it's also a common example.

That's an extreme example. But for a neurologist dealing with these kind of issues, it's also a common example.

If you talk about dissociative seizures, people think, oh, that's less serious than epilepsy. 70% of people with epilepsy will become completely free on medication, but only 30% of people with dissociative seizures will get better. It is phenomenally hard to make people with these problems completely better. And I think a little bit of that is because it's been such a neglected area of medicine.

If you talk about dissociative seizures, people think, oh, that's less serious than epilepsy. 70% of people with epilepsy will become completely free on medication, but only 30% of people with dissociative seizures will get better. It is phenomenally hard to make people with these problems completely better. And I think a little bit of that is because it's been such a neglected area of medicine.

If you talk about dissociative seizures, people think, oh, that's less serious than epilepsy. 70% of people with epilepsy will become completely free on medication, but only 30% of people with dissociative seizures will get better. It is phenomenally hard to make people with these problems completely better. And I think a little bit of that is because it's been such a neglected area of medicine.

There are great scientists working on it now, but during my training period, there was nobody.

There are great scientists working on it now, but during my training period, there was nobody.

There are great scientists working on it now, but during my training period, there was nobody.

Exactly. As a neurologist, so I've told you how often I see these kind of seizures, but I'm in no way trained to treat them. If it's such a big part of my day job, I should be better trained to treat them. But there would be a real expectation for many neurologists that if you see someone and you rule out a brain disease, then it's sort of like, that's fine. Then you can discharge that person.

Exactly. As a neurologist, so I've told you how often I see these kind of seizures, but I'm in no way trained to treat them. If it's such a big part of my day job, I should be better trained to treat them. But there would be a real expectation for many neurologists that if you see someone and you rule out a brain disease, then it's sort of like, that's fine. Then you can discharge that person.

Exactly. As a neurologist, so I've told you how often I see these kind of seizures, but I'm in no way trained to treat them. If it's such a big part of my day job, I should be better trained to treat them. But there would be a real expectation for many neurologists that if you see someone and you rule out a brain disease, then it's sort of like, that's fine. Then you can discharge that person.

And that's a big part of the reason why I became interested in it, because I was a young woman and a lot of the patients were young women my age. I was finding myself in a position of potentially sending people home, having lots of seizures.

And that's a big part of the reason why I became interested in it, because I was a young woman and a lot of the patients were young women my age. I was finding myself in a position of potentially sending people home, having lots of seizures.

And that's a big part of the reason why I became interested in it, because I was a young woman and a lot of the patients were young women my age. I was finding myself in a position of potentially sending people home, having lots of seizures.

It is more common in women. So about two thirds of the patients who develop psychosomatic conditions, seizures in particular, are women.

It is more common in women. So about two thirds of the patients who develop psychosomatic conditions, seizures in particular, are women.

It is more common in women. So about two thirds of the patients who develop psychosomatic conditions, seizures in particular, are women.

I don't think we really understand it. We can liken it to things in daily life. But do we really know how that is possible? Well, I don't know is the answer to that question. I mean, with regards to some of these things, we talk about how predictive coding. So predictive coding is how we process information. So if I show you this object, you've never seen it before and I tell you what it is.

I don't think we really understand it. We can liken it to things in daily life. But do we really know how that is possible? Well, I don't know is the answer to that question. I mean, with regards to some of these things, we talk about how predictive coding. So predictive coding is how we process information. So if I show you this object, you've never seen it before and I tell you what it is.