This case-control study found evidence to support previously reported associations, discovered new associations between functional seizures and PTSD, anxiety, and depression. An association between cerebrovascular disease and functional seizures was also found.

Results suggested that sexual trauma may be a mediating factor in the association between female sex and functional seizures.

Of 2,346,808 total patients in the VUMC-EHR aged 18 years or older, 3,341 patients with functional seizures were identified (period prevalence, 0.14%), 1062 (74.2%) of whom were women and for which the median (interquartile range) age was 49.3 (39.4-59.9) years.

This case-control study included patients with functional seizures identified in the VUMC electronic health record (VUMC-EHR) system from October 1989 to October 2018.

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