BACKGROUND: Anteromesial temporal resection (AMTR) is well established as effective in patients with intractable mesial temporal epilepsy. However, little electroclinical information is available relevant to poor surgical outcome after AMTR. We examined the postoperative electroclinical features based on postoperative MRI and video-EEG monitoring (VEM) in patients with poor surgical outcome. METHODS: We reviewed clinical features and postoperative VEM results in 20 patients with failure in AMTR. According to the postoperative electroclinical features, we classified them into mesial temporal (MT), bitemporal (BT), extramesial temporal (XMT), combined (C), and unclassified groups. The postoperative VEM results were compared among the groups. Surgical outcome was assessed in five patients who underwent reoperation. RESULTS: Patients comprised 6 MT, 2 BT, 6 XMT, 1 C, and 6 unclassified. Aura and automatism were more frequent in MT (50.0%, 83.3%) than in XMT (16.7%, 33.3%). Theta to delta rhythm, during the ictal onset and build-up period, was more frequent in MT (83.3%, 66.7%) than in XMT (33.3%, 33.3%). The ictal onset and build-up pattern of ictal EEG were most frequently localized to the frontotemporal region in MT (66.7%, 100.0%), while there was no predominantly localized region in XMT. The surgical outcome after reoperation was better in MT group than in XMT and C groups. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative MRI and VEM are useful to assess the postoperative electroclinical features in failed AMTR. Reoperation of the residual mesiotemporal structures after confirming epileptogenic foci may have good surgical outcome.
Automatism ; Delta Rhythm ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Reoperation ; Seizures

Ictal spitting is an unusual manifestation that originates from the non-dominant hemisphere, but rarely from the dominant hemisphere. In the latter case, it has not been well defined as to whether symptomatogenic area for ictal spitting originates from the dominant hemisphere. We present a patient with ictal spitting. Intracranial EEG demonstrated a left hippocampal onset with propagation to the right hemisphere, and subsequent ictal spitting development. Even in dominant hemispheric seizures, the non-dominant hemisphere is a symptomatogenic area for ictal spitting.
Automatism* ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Humans ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe*

We investigated the postictal EEG and semiology in temporal lobe epilepsy in order to evaluate their possible clinical utility. Fifty four well lateralized seizures in 10 patients, recorded during presurgical evaluation, were analysed in regard to the frequency, pattern and location of the EEG activity (42 seizures with scalp-sphenoidal electrodes, 27 seizures with intracranial electrodes). Postictal EEG changes were very heterogenous, at best categorized to several patterns: (1) theta+delta slowing (2) attenuation (3) spike activation, among them theta+delta slowing was mosts frequently encountered. The lateralizing value of the earliest pattern was 59.3% using intracranial electrodes but only 23.3% using scalp-sphenoidal electrodes. Postictal semiology also showed a variety of behavioral manifestation such as confusion(81.5%), lip smacking(40.7%), hand automatism (18.5%). Lip smacking was more often seen following the left temporal seizure (16 out of 22, p<.05). Behavioral distinction between ictal and postictal semiology was not possible. Postictal EEG and semiology appears to be consisting of heterogenous mechanisms and wide spectrum. We feel that the clinical utility is limited.
Automatism ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography* ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Hand ; Humans ; Lip ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe*

Circling seizure in which the patient walks repetitively in samall circles is relatively uncommon and may either represent a benign form of primary generalized epilepsy or occur secondary to a focal epileptic activity. Especially circling due to focal seizure activity has been regarded as rare. The authors report 6-year old boy who showed many repetitive circling behavior toward the left side, running automatism, vocalization and mental confusion for 6 hours. He had a history of relatively intractable epilepsy for 3 years of adversive seizures(turning to the right side), staring and vocalzation followed by tonic fencing posturing with cyanosis. The electroencephalography demonstrated frequent focal spikes in the left fronto-temporal area.
Automatism ; Child ; Cyanosis ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; Humans ; Male ; Running ; Seizures*

To find out whether the commonly observed ictal behaviors in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) contribute to the lateralization of epileptogenic focus, 116 seizures in 19 unilateral TLE patients were reviewed and analyzed carefully by two epileptologists. Unilateral motor manifestations such as dystonia, tonic posturing, clonic jerking, head version, head turning, eye deviation, unilateral eye blinking and unilateral automatism were observed in ipsilateral or contralateral side of EEG seizure focus. Ictal language was classified as normal speech, speech arrest, dysphasia and nonidentifiable speech. They were evaluated for their significance in determining dominant (DHS) or nondominant hemisphere onset (NHS) based on the results of Wada test. Other categories of automatisms were analyzed to investigate whether they indicate right or left TLE. Dystonia(in 34 seizures), tonic posture(17), clonic jerking(24) and head version (14) were observed only in contralateral side of EEG seizure focus in 89 seizures. The direction of head turning was ipsilateral to seizure focus in 15 seizures (46.9%) and contralateral to seizure focus in 17 seizures (53.1%), Eye deviation direction inclined to suggest contralateral hemisphere seizure origin without statistical significance [contralateral in 13 seizures (65%) and ipsilateral in 7 seizures (35%)]. Unilateral eye blinking and unilateral automatism were seen in 35 seizures and occurred exclusively in ipsilateral side to ictal EEG onset (12,85.7% ;23,88.5%) compared with contralateral side(2,14.3% ;3,11.5%). Ictal normal speech was observed in 9 seizures of 2 patients who had NHS, wheares dysphasia occurred in 4 DHS of 3 patients. Deglutition, sexual automatism and sniffing were observed in both right and left TLE, and not valuable in seizure lateralization. These results show unilateral dystonia, tonic posture, clonic jerking and head version suggest strongly contralateral hemisphere seizure origin. Unilateral eye blinking and unilateral automatism indicate ipsilateral hemisphere seizure focus. Among ictal speech manifestations, ictal normal speech and dysphasia suggested NHS and DHS respectively.
Aphasia ; Automatism ; Blinking ; Deglutition ; Dystonia ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Head ; Humans ; Posture ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe*

Reflex seizures induced by micturition are rare, and there have been few reports on ictal electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. Here, we report a 7-year-old boy with secondarily generalized partial seizures induced by micturition. The seizures occurred every time he urinated. A few seconds after micturition begun, he toppled down with hand automatism followed by a secondarily generalized tonic posture and loss of consciousness. Ictal video-EEG recording during urination was performed. An ictal EEG demonstrated a polyspike wave discharge onset from the left frontotemporal region, with rapid spread to the right frontotemporal region. He was treated with the antiepileptic drug valproate sodium, which improved seizure control. He remained seizure-free until the last followup for a period of 2 years.
Automatism ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Posture ; Reflex ; Seizures ; Unconsciousness ; Urination ; Valproic Acid

When the spinal cord is suddenly severed, all the fundamental functions of the spinal cord below the level of injury including the spinal cord reflexes are immediately depressed, which is referred to as spinal shock. The resolution of spinal shock occurs over a period of days to months, and spinal shock slowly transitions to spasticity. The definition of spinal shock and the pattern of reflex recovery or evolution remains as an issue of debate and controversy. The identification of clinical signs that determine the duration of spinal shock is controversial. The underlying mechanisms of spinal shock are also not clearly defined. Various authors have defined the termination of spinal shock as the appearance of the bulbocavernosus reflex, the recovery of deep tendon reflexes, or the return of reflexic detrusor activity. However, many questions remain to be answered, such as: When should we define spinal shock as the end? What types of reflexes appear first among polysynaptic cutaneous reflexes, monosynaptic deep tendon reflexes, and pathological reflexes? Should it include changes in autonomic reflexes such as a detrusor reflex?
Automatism ; Muscle Spasticity ; Reflex* ; Reflex, Stretch ; Shock* ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries

BACKGROUND: The differentiation of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) from neocortical temporal lobe epilepsy (NTLE) is important in surgical planning of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We tried to find clinical semiology separating one from the other. METHODS: We reviewed 136 seizures of 28 patients who had epilepsy surgery and good clinical outcome (Engel class I or II). We compared the following clinical features between MTLE and NTLE; the history of febrile convulsion, staring, automatism, head version, contralateral dystonic (CLD) and tonic (CLT) posturing, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizure (SGTC) frequency, the duration of partial seizures (excluding SGTC part) and time to SGTC and the type of aura (abdominl aura, vertiginous aura, visual aura, gustatory aura, and psychic aura etc.). RESULTS: Eighteen men and ten women were included. Mean age was 29.1+ 8.8 years (11-45). Abdominal aura (p = 0.04), oroalimentary (p < 0.01) and gestural automatism (p < 0.01), CLD (p < 0.01), and CLT posturing (p < 0.01) were seen significantly more often in MTLE and the duration of partial seizure (excluding SGTC) (p < 0.01) was longer in MTLE than NTLE. In NTLE, head version (p < 0.01) and SGTC (p < 0.01) occurred more frequently and the evolution time to SGTC (p = 0.04) was shorter. Duration of automatism and staring and occurrence of unilateral blinking were not different between two groups. CONCLUSION: Abdominal aura, oroalimentary and gestural automatism, CLD and CLT posturing, longer partial seizure duration were more suggesting MTLE, while rapid generalization, frequent SGTC and head version were seen more often in NTLE.
Automatism ; Blinking ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Female ; Generalization (Psychology) ; Head ; Humans ; Male ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile ; Temporal Lobe*

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Although benign childhood epilepsy with controtemporal spikes (BCECT) has been well characterized and extensively studied, the clinical findings and prognosis of benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (BCEOP) have been less well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical manifestations, responses to antiepileptic drugs, and longterm. Prognosis of BCEOP. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: We studied 10 BCEOP patients seen between 1985 and 1995 and followed up from 2 to 14 years(7.2+/-2.9). RESULTS: In 10 patients, there were 7 females and 3 males. The age of onset ranges from 4 to 9 year-old(6.4+/-1.5). In the cases whose age of onset was below 6 year-old, the main clinical manifestations were tonic deviation of eye bal1, ictal vomiting and frequent development of status epilepticus in the sleep. In the cases whose age of onset was above 7 year-old, the main clinical manifestations were visual symptoms (blurring or blindness) associated with ictal vomiting/headache and complex visual hallucination evolved to automatism. The typical EEG findings were occipital paroxysms, characterized by repetitive high amplitude spike or sharp and slow wave complexes in the occipital area, mainly when the eyes were closed. Except one patient, the seizures responded well to anticonvulsant therapy and did not occur after the age of 11. CONCLUSION: Although the number of cases was small and the follow-up period was not long enough, our data indicated that BCEOP had a good prognosis and showed diverse clinical manifestations, which might be dependent on the age of onset.
Age of Onset ; Anticonvulsants ; Automatism ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hallucinations ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Various ictal manifestations of temporal lobe epilepsy have possibly the value of both lateralizing and localizing the epileptogenic zone. Some ictal manifestations such as hand automatism, dystonic limb posture, head turning, and speech phenomenon might distinguish patients with good surgical outcomes from patients with poor out-comes. METHODS: To determine ictal behavioral differences in patients from these groups, we analyzed 207 seizures from 75 patients (group A) who were seizure free after surgery and 172 seizures from 60 patients (group B) who experienced seizures after surgery. All patients had received an anterior temporal lobectomy with amigdalohippocampectomy, and were followed up for at least 1 year. RESULTS: The lateralizing value of ictal semiology was evaluated in group A. Head turning (HT) was shown in 42% of seizures and had a lateralizing significance. Forced HT indicated a contralateral epileptogenic region. Non-forced HT suggested an ipsilateral epileptogenic region. Unilateral dystonic limb posture with or without automatism of the other side occurred in 53% of seizures and had a lateralizing significance, localizing the seizure onset to the contralateral hemisphere. Abnormal speech and vocalization did not have any lateralizing significance. Contralateral dystonic limb posture without ipsilateral automatism was significantly more frequent in group B (p=0.003) as abnormal speech was more frequent in group A (p=0.001). Non-versive head turning had a higher tendency to occur in group A (p=0.0051). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in incidences of versive head turning, unilateral hand automatism without dystonic limb posture, vocalization, and normal speech. CONCLUSIONS: Some ictal manifestations might be helpful in predicting the surgical outcome of temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE) patients. The presence of unidentifiable ictal speech could reflect good surgical outcome in TLE patients. When presurgical video analysis reveal an ictal semiology of contralateral dystonic arm posture without ipsilateral hand automatism, careful presurgical evaluation of the epileptogenic region should be contemplated.
Anterior Temporal Lobectomy ; Arm ; Automatism ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Extremities ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence ; Posture ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe*