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Functional cortical deafferentation from the subcortical structures in a patient with early myoclonic encephalopathy: A functional neuroimaging studyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We, for the first time, used functional neuroimaging analyses for a girl with early myoclonic encephalopathy (EME). The interictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and [18F]-fluoro-d-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) at 1 month of age showed hypoperfusion and hypometabolism of bilateral basal ganglia, thalami, and the right parietooccipital cerebral cortices, showing that there is profound dysfunction of the basal ganglia and thalamus as well as cerebral cortex. On the other hand, subtraction ictal SPECT of tonic spasms clearly showed hyperperfusion of the bilateral basal ganglia, thalam...
Source: Epilepsia - November 18, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Mieko Hirose, Kazuhiro Haginoya, Hiroyuki Yokoyama, Soichiro Tanaka, Mitsugu Uematsu, Tomohiro Kaneta, Masaru Takayanagi, Kimiya Kon, Yasushi Yoshihara, Kazuie Iinuma, Shigeru Tsuchiya Source Type: journals

Dravet syndrome and deep brain stimulation: Seizure control after 10 years of treatmentEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Dravet syndrome is a genetically determined severe epilepsy associated with cognitive decline and ataxia. The many types of seizures seen in these patients are typically pharmacoresistant. Here we describe two adults with Dravet syndrome who were treated with thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) and followed for 10 years. One patient with partial onset seizures received DBS at age 19 and showed a marked improvement in seizure control after DBS insertion and stimulation. The other patient with generalized onset seizures received DBS at age 34 and did not show any immediate benefit. No side effects or changes in cognition w...
Source: Epilepsia - November 17, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Danielle M. Andrade, Clement Hamani, Andres M. Lozano, Richard A. Wennberg Source Type: journals

Transient shivering during Wada test provides insight into human thermoregulationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Transient shivering during the Wada test is common. A transient but selective functional lesion of the anterior hypothalamus produced by the effects of sodium amobarbital may result in disinhibition of the posterior hypothalamus and other brainstem thermoregulatory centers, thereby inducing transient shivering. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 16, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Aashit K. Shah, Marie D. Atkinson, Preeti Gupta, Imad Zak, Craig E. Watson, Robert Rothermel, Eishi Asano, Darren Fuerst Source Type: journals

Comparison of the antiepileptogenic effects of an early long-term treatment with ethosuximide or levetiracetam in a genetic animal model of absence epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: These findings suggest that absence epilepsy in this strain of rats very likely follows an epileptogenic process during life and that early therapeutic intervention is possible, thereby opening a new area of research for absence epilepsy and AED treatment strategies. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 16, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Emilio Russo, Rita Citraro, Francesca Scicchitano, Salvatore De Fazio, Eugenio D. Di Paola, Andrew Constanti, Giovambattista De Sarro Source Type: journals

Meta-analysis of the association between cysticercosis and epilepsy in AfricaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: The variability of the association found between the studies could be due to differences in study design or in pathogenesis of cysticercosis. Further studies should overcome identified problems by following some guidelines to improve epidemiologic and clinical assessment of the association. Better understanding of the relation between cysticercosis and epilepsy is a key issue in improving prevention of epilepsy in Africa. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 16, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Fabrice Quet, Maëlenn Guerchet, Sebastien D. S. Pion, Edgard B. Ngoungou, Alessandra Nicoletti, Pierre-Marie Preux Source Type: journals

Potential of wind turbines to elicit seizures under various meteorological conditionsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Purpose: To determine the potential risk of epileptic seizures from wind turbine shadow flicker under various meteorologic conditions.Methods: We extend a previous model to include attenuation of sunlight by the atmosphere using the libradtran radiative transfer code.Results: Under conditions in which observers look toward the horizon with their eyes open we find that there is risk when the observer is closer than 1.2 times the total turbine height when on land, and 2.8 times the total turbine height in marine environments, the risk limited by the size of the image of the sun's disc on the retina. When looking at the groun...
Source: Epilepsia - November 16, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Andrew R. D. Smedley, Ann R. Webb, Arnold J. Wilkins Source Type: journals

Epilepsy with dual pathology: Surgical treatment of cortical dysplasia accompanied by hippocampal sclerosisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: We show that patients with complete resection of epileptogenic area, the presence of dysmorphic neurons or balloon cells on histopathology, or resection of hippocampus have a higher chance of a favorable surgical outcome. We believe that this observation is useful in planning of surgical procedures and predicting the prognoses of individual patients with FCD patients accompanied by HS. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 16, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Dong W. Kim, Sang K. Lee, Hyunwoo Nam, Kon Chu, Chun K. Chung, Seo-Young Lee, Geeyoung Choe, Hyun K. Kim Source Type: journals

Definition of drug resistant epilepsy: Consensus proposal by the ad hoc Task Force of the ILAE Commission on Therapeutic StrategiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
To improve patient care and facilitate clinical research, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) appointed a Task Force to formulate a consensus definition of drug resistant epilepsy. The overall framework of the definition has two "hierarchical" levels: Level 1 provides a general scheme to categorize response to each therapeutic intervention, including a minimum dataset of knowledge about the intervention that would be needed; Level 2 provides a core definition of drug resistant epilepsy using a set of essential criteria based on the categorization of response (from Level 1) to trials of antiepileptic drugs. It ...
Source: Epilepsia - November 4, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Patrick Kwan, Alexis Arzimanoglou, Anne T. Berg, Martin J. Brodie, W. Allen Hauser, Gary Mathern, Solomon L. Moshé, Emilio Perucca, Samuel Wiebe, Jacqueline French Source Type: journals

Psychiatric comorbidity and suicidal behavior in epilepsy: A community-based case–control studyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: These findings call attention to psychiatric comorbidity and suicidal behavior associated with epilepsy. Suicide risk assessment, mental evaluation, and treatment may improve quality of life in epilepsy and ultimately prevent suicide. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 3, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Sabrina Stefanello, Letícia Marín-Léon, Paula T. Fernandes, Li M. Li, Neury J. Botega Source Type: journals

Profiles of psychosocial outcome after epilepsy surgery: The role of personalityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Psychosocial outcome after epilepsy surgery appears intrinsically linked to a change in self and a transition from chronically sick to well. The development of personality traits and self-identity in the context of habitual seizures can impact psychosocial outcome and the extent of self-change reported after surgery, and paradoxically, can concur more beneficial effects. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 3, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Sarah J. Wilson, Joanne M. Wrench, Anne M. McIntosh, Peter F. Bladin, Samuel F. Berkovic Source Type: journals

Using the Internet to recruit patients for epilepsy trials: Results of a New Zealand pilot studyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: We have demonstrated that patients can be recruited for trials and randomized from routine clinics via the Internet. Trials could compare AEDs or look at other aspects of epilepsy management. An international pilot study is planned. Neurologists are invited to enroll patients with epilepsy, who would be suitable for randomized controlled trials, into a Web-based register. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 3, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Peter S. Bergin, Tony Ip, Robert Sheehan, Richard W. Frith, Lynette G. Sadleir, Nicole McGrath, Annemarei Ranta, Elizabeth B. Walker Source Type: journals

Basal hypercortisolism and trauma in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizuresEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: This is the first study showing that basal hypercortisolism in patients with PNES is independent of the acute occurrence of seizures. In addition, basal hypercortisolism was more pronounced in traumatized patients with PNES as compared to nontraumatized patients with PNES. These findings suggest that HPA-axis activity provides a significant neurobiologic marker for PNES. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 3, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Patricia Bakvis, Philip Spinhoven, Erik J. Giltay, Jarl Kuyk, Peter M. Edelbroek, Frans G. Zitman, Karin Roelofs Source Type: journals

Topiramate overdose: A case report of a patient with extremely high topiramate serum concentrations and nonconvulsive status epilepticusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report the case of a 21-year-old man with idiopathic generalized epilepsy who ingested about 8,000 mg of topiramate (TPM) in a suicide attempt. On admission to the hospital he had a nonconvulsive status epilepticus and received 4 mg lorazepam i.v. He recovered rapidly despite an initial TPM concentration of 144.6 [mu]g/ml. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient who survived such a high TPM concentration. The case indicates that nonconvulsive status epilepticus could be a manifestation of TPM intoxication. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 3, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Christian Brandt, Heike Elsner, Nora Füratsch, Matthias Hoppe, Esther Nieder, Bernhard Rambeck, Alois Ebner, Theodor W. May Source Type: journals

Ictal affective symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy are related to gender and ageEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Patient-reported and video-recorded negative[mdash]but not positive[mdash]affective signs are related to each other. Video-recorded negative AAs occur more often in women and young patients. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - November 3, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Vanda Toth, Andras Fogarasi, Kazmer Karadi, Norbert Kovacs, Alois Ebner, Jozsef Janszky Source Type: journals

Carisbamate as adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures in adults in two randomized, placebo-controlled trialsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: Carisbamate 400 mg/day was effective in patients with refractory partial-onset seizures in one of these global studies. More than 200 mg/day of carisbamate is required for efficacy. Carisbamate was well-tolerated in both studies. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 29, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Michael R. Sperling, Andrew Greenspan, Joyce A. Cramer, Patrick Kwan, Reetta Kälviäinen, Jonathan J. Halford, Jennifer Schmitt, Eric Yuen, Thomas Cook, Magali Haas, Gerald Novak Source Type: journals

Seasonality as a risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: A study in a large cohortEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Some causes of death appear to be related to temperature, but we found no convincing evidence to support a link between temperatures or seasons and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. It is important to identify risk factors for SUDEP, but it is also important that evidence is established before hypotheses are accepted. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 27, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Gail S. Bell, Janet L. Peacock, Josemir W. Sander Source Type: journals

Antiepileptic drugs combined with high-frequency electrical stimulation in the ventral hippocampus modify pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in ratsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Subeffective doses of antiepileptic drugs that increase the [gamma]-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurotransmission may represent a therapeutic tool to augment the HFS-induced anticonvulsant effects. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 27, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Manola Cuellar-Herrera, Fernando Peña, David Alcantara-Gonzalez, Leticia Neri-Bazan, Luisa Rocha Source Type: journals

Neonatal seizures and Long QT Syndrome: A cardiocerebral channelopathy?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We identified a patient with electrophysiologically verified neonatal long QT syndrome (LQTS) and neonatal seizures in the presence of a controlled cardiac rhythm. To find a cause for this unusual combination of phenotypes, we tested the patient for mutations in seven ion channel genes associated with either LQTS or benign familial neonatal seizures (BFNS). Comparative genome hybridization (CGH) was done to exclude the possibility of a contiguous gene syndrome. No mutations were found in the genes (KCNQ2, KCNQ3) associated with BFNS, and CGH was negative. A previously described mutation and a known rare variant were found ...
Source: Epilepsia - October 27, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Sarah E. Heron, Marta Hernandez, Caitlin Edwards, Edward Edkins, Floor E. Jansen, Ingrid E. Scheffer, Samuel F. Berkovic, John C. Mulley Source Type: journals

Innate but not adaptive immune responses contribute to behavioral seizures following viral infectionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: We have implicated the innate immune response to viral infection, specifically TNF-[alpha] and IL-6, and concomitant inflammatory changes in the brain as contributing to the development of acute seizures. This model is a potential infection-driven model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 21, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Nikki J. Kirkman, Jane E. Libbey, Karen S. Wilcox, H. Steve White, Robert S. Fujinami Source Type: journals

EEG spike activity precedes epilepsy after kainate-induced status epilepticusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: The temporal features of EEG spikes (i.e., their presence, frequency, and pattern [clusters]) when analyzed over prolonged periods, may be a predictive biomarker for the development of chronic epilepsy after brain injury. Future clinical trials using prolonged EEG recordings may reveal the diagnostic utility of EEG spikes as predictors of subsequent epilepsy in brain-injured humans. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Andrew White, Philip A. Williams, Jennifer L. Hellier, Suzanne Clark, F. Edward Dudek, Kevin J. Staley Source Type: journals

The usefulness of olfactory bulb kindling as a model for evaluation of antiepilepticsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: OB kindling can be used as a new valuable model to evaluate antiepileptic drugs, with the advantage of its rapid development and the efficacy of antiepileptics. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Akinori Fujiwara, Yusuke Watanabe, Kenshi Takechi, Takashi Ishikawa, Yuko Kaida, Masaaki Akagi, Chiaki Kamei Source Type: journals

Proton MRS may predict AED response in patients with TLEEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: These results indicate that patients with TLE who respond well to the first AED have significantly less evidence of neuronal and axonal damage/dysfunction compared to those who are refractory to the first AED trial. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Bruno A. G. Campos, Clarissa L. Yasuda, Gabriela Castellano, Elizabeth Bilevicius, Li M. Li, Fernando Cendes Source Type: journals

Severe and disabling constipation: An adverse effect of pregabalinEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The incidence of constipation as an adverse effect of pregabalin has previously been reported as low, with all cases described as either mild or moderate. From the experience of a tertiary referral epilepsy hospital center, we report several cases of severe and disabling constipation after initiating pregabalin, and resolving only on drug withdrawal. Of 80 consecutive patients, six (7.5%) developed significant constipation within 1[ndash]2 weeks of commencing pregabalin. Constipation was the most frequent adverse effect that required pregabalin to be withdrawn (6.3% of patients). The severity of symptoms was dose dependent...
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Jordan T. Kamel, Wendyl J. D'Souza, Mark J. Cook Source Type: journals

Adenosine A1 receptor blockage mediates theophylline-associated seizuresEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Theophylline-associated seizures (TAS) often progress to prolonged or treatment-resistant convulsions. Theophylline is a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist. Adenosine is an endogenous anticonvulsant that can terminate seizures. Fever and young age have been reported to be risk factors for TAS. To elucidate the mechanism of TAS, we investigated the effect of theophylline and adenosine receptor ligands on hyperthermia-induced seizures in juvenile rats. The treatment dose of theophylline or control saline was injected intraperitoneally 1 h before hyperthermia-induced seizures. The seizure threshold in the theophylline...
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Mitsumasa Fukuda, Yuka Suzuki, Hitomi Hino, Kazuyo Kuzume, Takehiko Morimoto, Eiichi Ishii Source Type: journals

A population-based study of risk of epilepsy after hospitalization for traumatic brain injuryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study was undertaken to determine the risk of developing posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) within 3 years after discharge among a population-based sample of older adolescents and adults hospitalized with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in South Carolina. It also identifies characteristics related to development of PTE within this population.Methods: A stratified random sample of persons aged 15 and older with TBI was selected from the South Carolina nonfederal hospital discharge dataset for four consecutive years. Medical records of recruits were reviewed, and they participated in up to three yearly follow-up telephone interv...
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Pamela L. Ferguson, Gigi M. Smith, Braxton B. Wannamaker, David J. Thurman, E. Elisabeth Pickelsimer, Anbesaw W. Selassie Source Type: journals

Sequential intrarectal diazepam and intravenous levetiracetam in treating acute repetitive and prolonged seizuresEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this retrospective study of institutionalized patients with mental retardation, we present the efficacy and safety of sequential treatment with intrarectal diazepam (IRD) gel (Diastat) and intravenous levetiracetam (IVL) in comparison with either treatment alone for acute repetitive or prolonged seizures (ARPS). We defined ARPS as [ge]3 seizures of any type within 1 h or a single seizure of any type lasting [ge]3 min. Eighty-eight ARPS episodes were treated in 25 patients (14 female, age 21[ndash]72 years), with mainly symptomatic generalized epilepsy. There were no adverse events directly attributable to the administra...
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Pradeep N. Modur, Warren E. Milteer, Song Zhang Source Type: journals

Factors contributing to depression in patients with epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We investigated factors contributing to depression in patients with epilepsy. Data were collected from 150 adult patients. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory, Daily Hassles Scale, Epilepsy Self-Efficacy Scale, Social Support Scale, Stress Coping Style Checklist, and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory 31 (QOLIE-31) were used. The mean BDI score was 13.4 [standard deviation (SD) 9.0]. Abnormal BDI scores were recorded in 93 patients. Six significant predictors of BDI were identified in a stepwise linear regression analysis: level of stress (p < 0.001), social support (p = 0.037), anxiety (p = 0.001), ...
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Sang-Ahm Lee, Sun-Mi Lee, Young-Joo No Source Type: journals

The ketogenic diet in treatment of two adults with prolonged nonconvulsive status epilepticusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report successful use of the KD in two adult patients with prolonged nonconvulsive SE (NCSE) refractory to multiple other interventions. Our observations suggest induction of ketosis may be a novel strategy to safely and effectively treat status in adults even after weeks to months of refractory seizures. Although there are few data regarding the use of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of adult epilepsy syndromes, it may be an option for the treatment of adults with refractory, prolonged SE. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Courtney J. Wusthoff, Sarah M. Kranick, James F. Morley, A. G. Christina Bergqvist Source Type: journals

Value of electrical stimulation and high frequency oscillations (80–500 Hz) in identifying epileptogenic areas during intracranial EEG recordingsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study investigates whether interictal HFOs are more frequent in areas with a low threshold to provoke ADs or seizures.Methods: Intracranial EEG studies were filtered at 500 Hz and sampled at 2,000 Hz. HFOs were visually identified. Twenty patients underwent ES, with gradually increasing currents. Results were interpreted as agreeing or disagreeing with the intracranial study (clinical-EEG seizure onset defined the SOZ). Current thresholds provoking an AD or seizure were correlated with the rate of HFOs of each channel.Results: ES provoked a seizure in 12 and ADs in 19 patients. Sixteen patients showed an ES response i...
Source: Epilepsia - October 19, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Julia Jacobs, Maeike Zijlmans, Rina Zelmann, André Olivier, Jeffery Hall, Jean Gotman, François Dubeau Source Type: journals

The International League Against Epilepsy at the threshold of its second century: Challenges and opportunitiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 12, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Solomon L. Moshé Source Type: journals

Interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility in focal cortical dysplasia (malformations of cortical development)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Interobserver concordance using this approach was moderate. The classification categories with the greatest concordance were FCD type IIA/B, and the least, mild MCD and FCD types IA/B. In addition, difficulty in differentiating Mild MCD/FCD type I lesions from normal and/or gliotic tissue was noted. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 10, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Wendy A. Chamberlain, Mark L. Cohen, Kymberly A. Gyure, Bette K. Kleinschmidt-DeMasters, Arie Perry, Suzanne Z. Powell, Jiang Qian, Susan M. Staugaitis, Richard A. Prayson Source Type: journals

Refractory status epilepticus: A prospective observational studyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: This prospective study identifies clinical factors predicting the onset of SE refractoriness. RSE appears to be less frequent than previously reported in retrospective studies; furthermore, most RSE episodes were treated outside the intensive care unit (ICU). Nonetheless, we confirm that RSE is characterized by high mortality and morbidity. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Jan Novy, Giancarlo Logroscino, Andrea O. Rossetti Source Type: journals

An optimized voxel-based morphometric study of gray matter changes in patients with left-sided and right-sided mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE/HS)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusion: We found asymmetrical morphologic changes in patients with left- and right-sided MTLE/HS syndrome (more pronounced in right-sided MTLE/HS). These differences could be theoretically explained by different neuronal networks and pathophysiologic changes in temporolimbic structures. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Martin Pail, Milan Brázdil, Radek Mareček, Michal Mikl Source Type: journals

Clinical significance of glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies in patients with epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: High GADA titers were present in a subgroup of patients; close to 90% had TLE. The immunologic profile of these patients suggests that the most probable origin of their epilepsy is autoimmune. A positive IS of GADA may be a marker of an ongoing immune response that could identify those patients in whom a trial with immunosuppressive therapy might be warranted. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Suvi Liimatainen, Maria Peltola, Lidia Sabater, Mahdi Fallah, Elham Kharazmi, Anna-Maija Haapala, Prasun Dastidar, Mikael Knip, Albert Saiz, Jukka Peltola Source Type: journals

Sublobar dysplasia—A clinicopathologic report after successful epilepsy surgeryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report the clinical presentation, neuroradiologic characteristics, and detailed histopathologic findings in a unique case of drug-resistant focal epilepsy due to sublobar dysplasia (SLD), treated successfully by resection of the malformed cortex. Histopathology with leptomeningeal and subcortical heterotopia, disturbance of cortical lamination and marked cortical and subcortical astrocytosis, but absence of balloon cells, points to a disorder of neuronal migration and organization rather than proliferation in SLD. The additional presence of a lateral proboscis and meningocele in our case as well as further associated ca...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Ingrid Tuxhorn, Friedrich G. Woermann, Heinz W. Pannek, Volkmar H. Hans Source Type: journals

Group-specific regional white matter abnormality revealed in diffusion tensor imaging of medial temporal lobe epilepsy without hippocampal sclerosisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: In left TLE-NH, we could find the water diffusion change along the posterior cingulum, which was quite different from the extensive abnormality from TLE-HS. In addition, there was a lesion-side[ndash]specific distribution (left predominant) of pathology in mesial TLE. This provides a possibility that TLE-NH is a heterogenous or entity different from TLE-HS. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Young-Min Shon, Yeong-In Kim, Bang-Bon Koo, Jong-Min Lee, Hye J. Kim, Woo J. Kim, Kook J. Ahn, Dong W. Yang Source Type: journals

Louis François Bravais and Jacksonian epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Although it is known that Jacksonian epilepsy was first described by Bravais in 1827, some 40 years before Jackson began his work on the topic, little has been published on what Bravais wrote. Louis François Bravais (1801[ndash]1843) came from a French provincial family, which made a number of scientific, mainly botanical, contributions. In his Paris M.D. thesis, based on 25 instances of what he termed "hemiplegic epilepsy," Bravais described a set of unilateral epileptic seizure phenomena, including postseizure hemiparesis, very similar to those Jackson wrote about in 1870. However, Jackson accepted that the initially un...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Mervyn Eadie Source Type: journals

Neocortical seizure foci localization by means of a directed transfer function methodEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Although localization of neocortical-onset seizures is typically challenging, the causal measures employed in this study[mdash]namely the directed transfer function[mdash]identified generators of the ictal activity that were highly correlated with the cortical regions identified as the seizure-onset zones by the epileptologists. This technique could prove useful in the identification of seizure-specific propagation pathways in the presurgical evaluation of patients with epilepsy. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Christopher Wilke, Wim van Drongelen, Michael Kohrman, Bin He Source Type: journals

Pathologic cardiac repolarization in pharmacoresistant epilepsy and its potential role in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: A case–control studyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Our study did not reveal a clear-cut ECG predictor for SUDEP. Pathologic cardiac repolarization is not uncommon in adult patients with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy and could favor occurrence of fatal tachyarrhythmia as one plausible cause for SUDEP. SGTCS are a risk factor for SUDEP, have, as compared to complex-partial seizures, a greater, unfavorable impact on heart activity, and may thereby additionally compromise cardiac function. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Rainer Surges, Patrick Adjei, Constantinos Kallis, Joy Erhuero, Catherine A. Scott, Gail S. Bell, Josemir W. Sander, Matthew C. Walker Source Type: journals

Comparison of antiepileptic drug prescribing in children in three European countriesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study aims to characterize AED prescribing in the young in three European countries and to assess the capacity of drug safety surveillance.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2001[ndash]2005 using primary care databases: PEDIANET (Italy, 0[ndash]11 years), IPCI (The Netherlands, 0[ndash]18 years), and IMS Disease Analyzer (United Kingdom, 0[ndash]18 years). Prescribing prevalence was calculated by country, patient age, and drug type.Results: In 2005, AED prevalence in children (0[ndash]11 years) was highest in Italy [3.9 subjects/1,000 person-years (PY)] followed by the United Kingdom (3.0 subjects/...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Yingfen Hsia, Antje Neubert, Miriam C.J.M. Sturkenboom, Macey L. Murray, Katia M.C. Verhamme, Fatma Sen, Carlo Giaquinto, Adriana Ceci, Ian C.K. Wong Source Type: journals

Bilateral hippocampal stimulation for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy: Impact on seizures and memoryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The effect of continuous electrical stimulation of the hippocampus bilaterally on seizures and memory was assessed in two subjects with seizures from both mesial temporal lobes who were not candidates for resective epilepsy surgery. A double blind, randomized, controlled, cross-over trial design was utilized. Two electrodes with four contacts each were implanted along the axis of the hippocampus bilaterally. Simultaneous stimulation of all electrodes contacts was either on or off during each 3-month interval. Seizure frequency decreased by 33% in the two patients during stimulation and remained lower by 25% for the 3 month...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Richard S. McLachlan, Susan Pigott, Jose F. Tellez-Zenteno, Samuel Wiebe, Andrew Parrent Source Type: journals

A comparison of midazolam nasal spray and diazepam rectal solution for the residential treatment of seizure exacerbationsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Rectal diazepam is established as a standard rescue or emergency treatment for seizure or status epilepticus; however, the rectal route of administration has not been universally accepted. To determine if an alternative route of administration of a benzodiazepine was equally effective, we compared a novel midazolam HCl concentrated nasal spray (MDZ-n) with diazepam rectal solution (DZP-r) in the treatment of prolonged seizures in a residential epilepsy center. In 21 adult patients with medically refractory epilepsy, 124 seizure-exacerbations were treated by their caregivers, alternatively with 10 mg DZP-r and 10 mg concent...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Gerrit-Jan de Haan, Peter van der Geest, Gerard Doelman, Edward Bertram, Peter Edelbroek Source Type: journals

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide are reduced in patients with untreated newly diagnosed temporal lobe epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The objective of our study was to measure endocannabinoids levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of drug-naive patients affected by temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods: We measured the levels of both AEA and the other endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), in the CSF of drug-naive patients with TLE.Results: A significant reduction of AEA was found in the CSF of patients with compared with healthy controls (epileptic patients = 2.55 ± 1.78 pmol/ml; healthy controls = 11.65 ± 7.53 pmol/ml; n = 9 for both groups, p < 0.01). 2-AG levels, however, were not affected (epileptic patients = 209.5 ± 146.56; healthy co...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Andrea Romigi, Monica Bari, Fabio Placidi, M. Grazia Marciani, Marilena Malaponti, Federico Torelli, Francesca Izzi, Chiara Prosperetti, Silvana Zannino, Francesca Corte, Carlo Chiaramonte, Mauro Maccarrone Source Type: journals

Contralateral MRI abnormalities in candidates for hemispherectomy for refractory epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: MRI abnormalities, usually mild to moderate in severity, were seen in the contralateral hemisphere in the majority of children who underwent hemispherectomy for refractory epilepsy due to various etiologies, especially those that were congenital or early acquired. The contralateral MRI findings, always much less prominent than those in the ipsilateral hemisphere, did not correlate with seizure outcome and may not contraindicate hemispherectomy in otherwise favorable candidates. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Tove Hallbook, Paul Ruggieri, Chirla Adina, Deepak K. Lachhwani, Ayaj Gupta, Prakash Kotagal, William E. Bingaman, Elaine Wyllie Source Type: journals

The teratogenic risk of antiepileptic drug polytherapyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: The fetal hazard of AED polytherapy relative to monotherapy may depend more on the degree of exposure to valproate than on the fact of polytherapy per se. Coadministration with lamotrigine may lower the fetal risk of valproate therapy. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Frank J. E. Vajda, Alison A. Hitchcock, Janet Graham, Terence J. O'Brien, Cecilie M. Lander, Mervyn J. Eadie Source Type: journals

Preemptive effect of nucleus of the solitary tract stimulation on amygdaloid kindling in freely moving catsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Our results indicate that preemptive NTS electrical stimulation interferes with epileptogenesis. This anticonvulsive effect could be related to the activation of certain structures that inhibit seizure development. Therefore, results suggest that NTS mediates the anticonvulsive effect of vagus nerve stimulation. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Victor M. Magdaleno-Madrigal, David Martínez-Vargas, Alejandro Valdés-Cruz, Salvador Almazán-Alvarado, Rodrigo Fernández-Mas Source Type: journals

An fMRI study of auditory hallucinations in patients with epilepsyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from six epilepsy patients experiencing auditory hallucinations compared with six healthy control subjects. The participants had to report which of two simultaneously presented simple speech sounds they perceived on each trial, using a dichotic stimulus presentation mode.Results: The results showed that the patients failed to show an expected right ear advantage on the task, and they also showed significantly reduced activation in temporal, frontal, and cingulate cortex areas.Discussion: The results are discussed in relation to a view that neuropsyc...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Maria Stylianou Korsnes, Kenneth Hugdahl, Merethe Nygård, Helge Bjørnæs Source Type: journals

A comparison of two fMRI methods for predicting verbal memory decline after left temporal lobectomy: Language lateralization versus hippocampal activation asymmetryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Discussion: Preoperative hippocampal activation asymmetry elicited by a scene encoding task is not predictive of verbal memory outcome. Risk of verbal memory decline is likely to be related to lateralization of material-specific verbal memory networks, which are more closely correlated with language lateralization than with overall asymmetry of episodic memory processes. (Source: Epilepsia)
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Jeffrey R. Binder, Sara J. Swanson, David S. Sabsevitz, Thomas A. Hammeke, Manoj Raghavan, Wade M. Mueller Source Type: journals

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition as a potential antiepileptogenic therapy: From tuberous sclerosis to common acquired epilepsiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Most current treatments for epilepsy are symptomatic therapies that suppress seizures but do not affect the underlying course or prognosis of epilepsy. The need for disease-modifying or "antiepileptogenic" treatments for epilepsy is widely recognized, but no such preventive therapies have yet been established for clinical use. A rational strategy for preventing epilepsy is to target primary signaling pathways that initially trigger the numerous downstream mechanisms mediating epileptogenesis. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway represents a logical candidate, because mTOR regulates multiple cellular functions ...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Michael Wong Source Type: journals

The combination of EEG Source Imaging and EEG-correlated functional MRI to map epileptic networksEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Functional electrophysiologic techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) give insights into the dynamics of the networks involved in the generation of interictal and ictal epileptic activity and their interaction with physiologic brain activity. With recent advances in methodology and clinical validation, EEG source imaging (ESI) may now be used to map epileptic activity as well as evoked responses to external stimuli. By its ability to show hemodynamic changes time locked to epileptic activity in the whole brain, EEG-correlated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) (EEG-fMRI) i...
Source: Epilepsia - October 7, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Serge Vulliemoz, Louis Lemieux, Jean Daunizeau, Christoph M. Michel, John S. Duncan Source Type: journals