Absence seizures associated with panic attacks initially misdiagnosed as temporal lobe epilepsy: the importance of prolonged EEG monitoring in diagnosis.

While temporal lobe epilepsy is often considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with anxiety or panic disorders, other types of epilepsy can confound the presentation or treatment of adults with panic disorders. The cases of two patients are presented who were initially thought to have temporal lobe epilepsy producing panic attacks, but who were subsequently found to have primary generalized seizures. The clinical implications are discussed.