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1.
Ann Neurol ; 95(6): 1138-1148, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38624073

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to analyze seizure semiology in pediatric frontal lobe epilepsy patients, considering age, to localize the seizure onset zone for surgical resection in focal epilepsy. METHODS: Fifty patients were identified retrospectively, who achieved seizure freedom after frontal lobe resective surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Video-electroencephalography recordings of preoperative ictal seizure semiology were analyzed, stratifying the data based on resection region (mesial or lateral frontal lobe) and age at surgery (≤4 vs >4). RESULTS: Pediatric frontal lobe epilepsy is characterized by frequent, short, complex seizures, similar to adult cohorts. Children with mesial onset had higher occurrence of head deviation (either direction: 55.6% vs 17.4%; p = 0.02) and contralateral head deviation (22.2% vs 0.0%; p = 0.03), ictal body-turning (55.6% vs 13.0%; p = 0.006; ipsilateral: 55.6% vs 4.3%; p = 0.0003), and complex motor signs (88.9% vs 56.5%; p = 0.037). Both age groups (≤4 and >4 years) showed hyperkinetic features (21.1% vs 32.1%), contrary to previous reports. The very young group showed more myoclonic (36.8% vs 3.6%; p = 0.005) and hypomotor features (31.6% vs 0.0%; p = 0.003), and fewer behavioral features (36.8% vs 71.4%; p = 0.03) and reduced responsiveness (31.6% vs 78.6%; p = 0.002). INTERPRETATION: This study presents the most extensive semiological analysis of children with confirmed frontal lobe epilepsy. It identifies semiological features that aid in differentiating between mesial and lateral onset. Despite age-dependent differences, typical frontal lobe features, including hyperkinetic seizures, are observed even in very young children. A better understanding of pediatric seizure semiology may enhance the accuracy of onset identification, and enable earlier presurgical evaluation, improving postsurgical outcomes. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:1138-1148.


Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Seizures , Humans , Child , Male , Female , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Child, Preschool , Electroencephalography/methods , Retrospective Studies , Adolescent , Seizures/physiopathology , Seizures/surgery , Seizures/diagnosis , Infant , Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Video Recording/methods
2.
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen ; 144(4)2024 Mar 19.
Article En, Nor | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38506017

In some forms of epilepsy, the seizures occur almost exclusively during sleep. This is particularly the case with hypermotor frontal lobe seizures. Clinically it can be difficult to distinguish such seizures from parasomnias and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. This clinical review article aims to highlight the importance of making the correct diagnosis, as these conditions require completely different treatment.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Parasomnias , Humans , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/drug therapy , Electroencephalography , Parasomnias/diagnosis , Seizures/diagnosis , Seizures/etiology , Sleep
3.
Epilepsy Behav ; 148: 109471, 2023 Nov.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37866248

RATIONALE: The International Classification of Cognitive Disorders in Epilepsy (IC-CoDE) was recently introduced as a consensus-based, empirically-driven taxonomy of cognitive disorders in epilepsy and has been effectively applied to patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The purpose of this study was to apply the IC-CoDE to patients with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) using national multicenter data. METHODS: Neuropsychological data of 455 patients with FLE aged 16 years or older were available across four US-based sites. First, we examined test-specific impairment rates across sites using two impairment thresholds (1.0 and 1.5 standard deviations below the normative mean). Following the proposed IC-CoDE guidelines, patterns of domain impairment were determined based on commonly used tests within five cognitive domains (language, memory, executive functioning, attention/processing speed, and visuospatial ability) to construct phenotypes. Impairment rates and distributions across phenotypes were then compared with those found in patients with TLE for which the IC-CoDE classification was initially validated. RESULTS: The highest rates of impairment were found among tests of naming, verbal fluency, speeded sequencing and set-shifting, and complex figure copy. The following IC-CoDE phenotype distributions were observed using the two different threshold cutoffs: 23-40% cognitively intact, 24-29% single domain impairment, 13-20% bi-domain impairment, and 18-33% generalized impairment. Language was the most common single domain impairment (68% for both thresholds) followed by attention and processing speed (15-18%). Overall, patients with FLE reported higher rates of cognitive impairment compared with patients with TLE. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the applicability of the IC-CoDE to epilepsy syndromes outside of TLE. Findings indicated generally stable and reproducible phenotypes across multiple epilepsy centers in the U.S. with diverse sample characteristics and varied neuropsychological test batteries. Findings also highlight opportunities for further refinement of the IC-CoDE guidelines as the application expands.


Cognition Disorders , Cognitive Dysfunction , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe , Humans , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/complications , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/psychology , Executive Function , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/complications , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/psychology , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Neuropsychological Tests , Cognition
4.
Epileptic Disord ; 25(3): 343-359, 2023 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37070488

OBJECTIVE: Mild malformation with oligodendroglial hyperplasia (MOGHE) is a recently described clinicopathologic entity, associated with drug-resistant epilepsy and extensive epileptogenic networks. Knowledge is accumulating about particular electroclinical phenotypes, correlations with imaging, and potential prognostic significance for surgical outcomes. The study adds relevant information by documenting the presence of a hyperkinetic frontal lobe seizure phenotype in adolescents and an epileptic encephalopathy phenotype in young children. METHODS: Five cases were subjected to a structured presurgical evaluation protocol, including EEG-FMRI, chronic and acute invasive EEG, subjected to frontal lobe surgery with postoperative follow-up between 15 months and 7 years. RESULTS: In the two adult cases, surface EEG demonstrated lateralized widespread frontal lobe epileptogenicity and hyperkinetic semiological features. MRI demonstrated cortical white matter blurring and deeper white matter abnormalities. EEG-FMRI suggested concordant frontal lobe involvement. iEEG demonstrated a widespread frontal lobe epilepsy network. The three young children demonstrated a diffuse epileptic encephalopathy phenotype, with nonlocalizing, nonlateralizing surface EEG, and "spasms" as the main seizure type. MRI demonstrated extensive frontal lobe subcortical gray and white matter abnormalities, consistent with MOGHE literature for this age, while EEG-FMRI, in 2/3, demonstrated concordant frontal lobe involvement. They did not undergo chronic iEEG, and the resection was assisted by acute intraoperative ECoG. All cases were subjected to extensive frontal lobectomies with Engel class IA (2/5), IB (1/5), and IIB (2/5) outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE: The study confirms the presence of frontal lobe epilepsy and epileptic encephalopathy phenotypes, in accordance with epilepsy phenotypes already described in MOGHE literature. Presurgical evaluation studies, including EEG-FMRI, can provide strong lateralizing and localizing evidence of the epileptogenic networks involved. All responded favorably to extensive frontal lobe resections, despite widespread epileptic activity recorded by surface and intracranial EEG pre- and postoperatively; an epileptic encephalopathy phenotype, in the first years of life, should not discourage such a resection.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Humans , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/pathology , Electroencephalography/methods , Hyperplasia , Seizures , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods
5.
J Clin Neurophysiol ; 40(6): 507-515, 2023 Sep 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36930208

SUMMARY: In this review, authors discuss epilepsy originating from posterior cingulate regions, a challenging entity to diagnose and most likely underrecognized. A systematic review of posterior middle and posterior cingulate epilepsy cases was conducted to present a summary of current knowledge about this localization-based type of epilepsy. The literature search identified 32 articles, for a total of 69 patients (34 with posterior middle cingulate epilepsy [pMCE] and 35 with posterior cingulate epilepsy [PCE]). Most patients were children and young adults with drug-resistant lesional epilepsy with high seizure burden. In both groups, most patients reported auras, mainly sensory, but various types were reported, including autonomic, behavioral, and cognitive manifestations. Most pMCE and PCE showed motor manifestations (mainly respectively asymmetric tonic posturing and automotor features). Impaired awareness during seizures was more frequently reported in PCE than in pMCE. As for ictal scalp EEG, epileptogenic abnormalities were poorly lateralized and did not localize the seizure onset zone. An ictal temporal involvement was only observed in PCE. Interictal EEG findings were nonspecific. As for other presurgical noninvasive investigations, data are limited, and no studies have adequately assessed their value. Partly explained by our inclusion criteria, most patients underwent a surgical procedure (either lesionectomy or resection of epileptogenic zone as defined by intracranial EEG study results), which overall yielded good outcomes.


Drug Resistant Epilepsy , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Child , Young Adult , Humans , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Gyrus Cinguli , Seizures/diagnosis , Electroencephalography/methods , Electrocorticography , Drug Resistant Epilepsy/diagnosis , Drug Resistant Epilepsy/surgery
6.
J Neurol ; 270(6): 3072-3081, 2023 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36847847

AIMS: Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is understudied and often misdiagnosed. We sought to comprehensively phenotype FLE and to differentiate FLE from other focal and generalised epilepsy syndromes. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational cohort study of 1078 cases of confirmed epilepsy in a tertiary neurology centre in London. Data sources were electronic health records, investigation reports and clinical letters. RESULTS: 166 patients had FLE based on clinical findings and investigations-97 with identifiable electroencephalography (EEG) foci in frontal areas (definite FLE), while 69 had no frontal EEG foci (probable FLE). Apart from EEG findings, probable and definite FLE did not differ in other features. FLE was distinct from generalized epilepsy, which tended to present with tonic-clonic seizures and be due to genetic causes. FLE and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) both featured focal unaware seizures and underlying structural or metabolic aetiology. FLE, TLE and generalized epilepsy differed in their EEG (P = 0.0003) and MRI (P = 0.002) findings, where FLE had a higher rate of normal EEG and abnormal MRI findings compared to TLE. CONCLUSIONS: EEG is often normal for FLE, and abnormalities are commonly identified with MRI. There was no difference in the clinical features of definite and probable FLE, suggesting they represent the same clinical entity. The diagnosis of FLE can be made even when scalp EEG is normal. This large medical cohort provides hallmark features of FLE that differentiate it from TLE and other epilepsy syndromes.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Epilepsy, Generalized , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe , Humans , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Cohort Studies , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/diagnosis , Seizures , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Generalized/diagnosis , Frontal Lobe
7.
Seizure ; 106: 29-35, 2023 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36736149

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of semiology alone in localising the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in people with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) who underwent resective surgery. METHODS: We examined data on all individuals who had FLE surgery at our centre between January 01, 2011 and December 31, 2020. Descriptions of ictal semiology were obtained from video-EEG telemetry reports and presurgical multidisciplinary meeting summaries. The putative EZ was represented by the final site of resection. We assessed how well initial and combined set-of-semiologies correlated anatomically with the EZ, using a semiology visualisation tool to generate probabilistic cortical heatmaps of involvement in seizures. RESULTS: Sixty-one individuals had FLE surgery over the study period. Twelve months following surgery, 28/61 (46%) were completely seizure-free, with a further eight experiencing only auras. Comparing the semiology database with the putative EZ, combined set-of-semiology correctly lateralised in 77% (95% CI: 69-85%), localised to the frontal lobe in 57% (95% CI: 48-67%), frontal lobe subregions in 52% (95% CI: 43-62%), and frontal gyri in 25% (95% CI: 16-33%). No difference in degree of correlation was seen comparing those with ongoing seizures 12 months after surgery to those seizure free. SIGNIFICANCE: Semiology alone was able to correctly lateralize the putative EZ in 77%, and localise to a sublobar level in approximately half of individuals who had FLE surgery. Semiology is not adequate alone and must be combined with imaging and EEG data to identify the epileptogenic zone.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Humans , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Seizures/surgery , Electroencephalography/methods , Frontal Lobe/surgery , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Treatment Outcome
8.
Sci Rep ; 12(1): 19571, 2022 11 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36379994

Seizure semiology is a well-established method to classify epileptic seizure types, but requires a significant amount of resources as long-term Video-EEG monitoring needs to be visually analyzed. Therefore, computer vision based diagnosis support tools are a promising approach. In this article, we utilize infrared (IR) and depth (3D) videos to show the feasibility of a 24/7 novel object and action recognition based deep learning (DL) monitoring system to differentiate between epileptic seizures in frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE), temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and non-epileptic events. Based on the largest 3Dvideo-EEG database in the world (115 seizures/+680,000 video-frames/427GB), we achieved a promising cross-subject validation f1-score of 0.833±0.061 for the 2 class (FLE vs. TLE) and 0.763 ± 0.083 for the 3 class (FLE vs. TLE vs. non-epileptic) case, from 2 s samples, with an automated semi-specialized depth (Acc.95.65%) and Mask R-CNN (Acc.96.52%) based cropping pipeline to pre-process the videos, enabling a near-real-time seizure type detection and classification tool. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of our novel DL approach to support 24/7 epilepsy monitoring, outperforming all previously published methods.


Deep Learning , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe , Humans , Seizures/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/diagnosis , Electroencephalography/methods
9.
Neurology ; 98(22): e2211-e2223, 2022 05 31.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35190463

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cingulate epilepsy (CE) is a rare type of focal epilepsy that is challenging to diagnose because of the polymorphic semiology of the seizures, mimicking other types of epilepsy, and the limited utility of scalp EEG. METHODS: We selected consecutive patients with drug-resistant CE who were seizure-free after surgery, with seizure onset zone (SOZ) confirmed in the cingulate cortex (CC) by histology or stereo EEG. We analyzed subjective and objective ictal manifestations using video recordings and correlated semiology with anatomical CC subregion (anterior, anterior middle, posterior middle, and posterior) localization of SOZ. RESULTS: We analyzed 122 seizures in 57 patients. Seizures were globally characterized by complex behaviors, typically natural seeming and often accompanied by emotional components. All objective ictal variables considered (pronation of the body or arising from a lying/sitting position, tonic/dystonic posturing, hand movements, asymmetry, vocalizations, fluidity and repetitiveness of motor manifestations, awareness, and emotional and autonomic components) were differently distributed among CC subregions (p < 0.05). Along the rostro-caudal axis, fluidity and repetitiveness of movement, vocalizations, body pronation, and emotional components decreased anterior-posteriorly, whereas tonic/dystonic postures, signs of lateralization, and awareness increased. Vestibular and asymmetric somatosensory, somatosensory, and epigastric and enteroceptive/autonomic symptoms were distributed differently among CC subregions (p < 0.05). Along the rostro-caudal axis, vestibular, somatosensory, and somatosensory asymmetric symptoms increased anterior-posteriorly. DISCUSSION: CE is characterized by a spectrum of semiologic manifestations with a topographic distribution. CE semiology could indicate which cingulate sector is primarily involved.


Epilepsies, Partial , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Cohort Studies , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/complications , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Humans , Seizures
10.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku ; 62(2): 130-134, 2022 Feb 19.
Article Ja | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35095047

A 42-year-old male had intractable hyperkinetic seizure since childhood. Bottom-of-sulcus dysplasia was shown by MRI to be most likely an ictal focus, whereas ictal semiology suggested possible focus in the left frontal cortex. Scalp-recorded EEG could not delineate ictal EEG change at all partly because of violent hyperkinetic seizure, and thus intracranial EEG study by epidural electrodes was conducted as the best procedure for the safety concern. It showed ictal focus over the bottom-of-sulcus dysplasia and thus it was completely resected with seizure free more then 20 years until now. It was concluded that epidural electrodes are regarded as safe invasive recording method especially for violent hyperkinetic seizure, and that can provide us with essential information before epilepsy surgery.


Drug Resistant Epilepsy , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Adult , Child , Electrodes , Electroencephalography/methods , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Frontal Lobe/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Seizures
11.
J Neurol ; 269(6): 3363-3371, 2022 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35006387

Frontal lobe seizures (FLS) are debilitating for patients, highly diverse and often challenging for clinicians to evaluate. Frontal lobe epilepsy is the second most common localization for focal epilepsy, and if pharmacoresistant, can be amenable to resective surgery. Detailed study of frontal seizure semiology in conjunction with careful anatomical and electrophysiological correlation based on intracerebral recording with stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) has allowed demonstration that ictal motor semiology reflects a hierarchical rostro-caudal axis of frontal lobe functional organization, thus helping with presurgical localization. Main semiological features allowing distinction between different frontal sublobar regions include motor signs and emotional signs. Frontal lobe seizure semiology also represents a valuable source of in vivo human behavioral data from a neuroscientific perspective. Advances in defining underlying etiologies of FLE are likely to be crucial for appropriate selection and exploration of potential surgical candidates, which could improve upon current surgical outcomes. Future research on investigating the genetic basis of epilepsies and relation to structural substrate (e.g. focal cortical dysplasia) and seizure organization and expression, could permit a "genotype-phenotype" approach that could be complementary to anatomical electroclinical correlations in better defining the spectrum of FLS. This could help with optimizing patient selection and prognostication with regards to therapeutic choices.


Epilepsies, Partial , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/genetics , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/therapy , Frontal Lobe/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Seizures/diagnosis , Seizures/etiology
12.
Neuroimage ; 235: 117998, 2021 07 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33789131

The pressing call to detect sensitive cognitive markers of frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) remains poorly addressed. Standard frameworks prove nosologically unspecific (as they reveal deficits that also emerge across other epilepsy subtypes), possess low ecological validity, and are rarely supported by multimodal neuroimaging assessments. To bridge these gaps, we examined naturalistic action and non-action text comprehension, combined with structural and functional connectivity measures, in 19 FLE patients, 19 healthy controls, and 20 posterior cortex epilepsy (PCE) patients. Our analyses integrated inferential statistics and data-driven machine-learning classifiers. FLE patients were selectively and specifically impaired in action comprehension, irrespective of their neuropsychological profile. These deficits selectively and specifically correlated with (a) reduced integrity of the anterior thalamic radiation, a subcortical structure underlying motoric and action-language processing as well as epileptic seizure spread in this subtype; and (b) hypoconnectivity between the primary motor cortex and the left-parietal/supramarginal regions, two putative substrates of action-language comprehension. Moreover, machine-learning classifiers based on the above neurocognitive measures yielded 75% accuracy rates in discriminating individual FLE patients from both controls and PCE patients. Briefly, action-text assessments, combined with structural and functional connectivity measures, seem to capture ecological cognitive deficits that are specific to FLE, opening new avenues for discriminatory characterizations among epilepsy types.


Cerebral Cortex/diagnostic imaging , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Language , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Cerebral Cortex/pathology , Cerebral Cortex/physiopathology , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Cognitive Dysfunction/pathology , Cognitive Dysfunction/physiopathology , Connectome , Diffusion Tensor Imaging , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/complications , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/pathology , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Humans , Language Tests , Machine Learning , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Multimodal Imaging , Neuropsychological Tests , White Matter/pathology , White Matter/physiopathology
13.
Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd ; 1642021 02 18.
Article Nl | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33651492

BACKGROUND: Frontal lobe epilepsy (FE) is a diagnosis which can be easily missed due to the variety in symptoms. The symptoms depend on the location of the epileptical activity in the frontal lobe. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 48-year-old man of Moroccan descent is diagnosed with frontal epilepsy, but this diagnosis is rejected based on the 24-hours EEG. Instead he is diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). Upon this diagnosis, he develops reactive depressive symptoms and he is referred to the psychiatrist. However, based on the clinical presentation the diagnosis PNES is overruled and replaced with frontal lobe epilepsy. The patient recovers when he is treated with valproic acid. CONCLUSION: The article describes the symptoms of FE and those of PNES. This case description demonstrates the difficulties and illustrates the importance of a good history when diagnosing FE.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Medical History Taking , Seizures/diagnosis , Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis , Symptom Assessment/methods , Diagnosis, Differential , Electroencephalography , Humans , Male , Middle Aged
14.
Epileptic Disord ; 23(1): 180-190, 2021 Feb 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33622661

The SEEG International Course, organised in 2017, focused on the investigation and surgery of insulo-perisylvian epilepsies. We present one representative complex case that was discussed. The patient had seizures displaying startle/reflex components. He was MRI negative, while other non-invasive investigations offered only partially concordant data. Initial SEEG exploration resulted in an incomplete definition of the epileptogenic zone. A second SEEG followed, which led to a thorough assessment of the seizure onset zone and the epileptic network, localised to the lateral inferior premotor cortex, explaining the incongruent data obtained beforehand. This was the basis of a tailored resection with a favourable outcome. The patient has been seizure-free for five years without any motor nor cognitive deficits, but with pharmacodependence to one AED. The electroclinical reasoning is presented, accompanied by relevant commentaries and recommendations from the tutors [Published with video sequences].


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Reflex, Startle/physiology , Adult , Electrocorticography , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Radiosurgery , Young Adult
15.
Epileptic Disord ; 23(1): 161-166, 2021 Feb 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33602663

Video-EEG monitoring is an established gold-standard procedure for diagnosis and differentiation of epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. Epilepsy misdiagnosis, to which factors such as EEG artifact misinterpretation contribute to, is common, and can have long-lasting iatrogenic repercussions to the clinical management of affected patients. Among the many types of responses to photic stimulation, artifacts and physiologic and epileptic responses are possible. All of these can interfere with EEG interpretation when provoked by a source of illumination. Photic-induced responses are of increasing relevance given the ubiquity of screens and other light-emitting electronics in our modern world. One of these, the photoparoxysmal response, is a frequent finding in photosensitive patients with genetic generalized epilepsies. Various responses beyond abnormal occurrence of cortical spikes or spike-and-wave discharges are known to occur on EEG in response to intermittent photic stimulation (IPS), with different clinical implications. To our knowledge, we report a unique electronegative photoparoxysmal response during video-EEG monitoring induced by fluctuating illumination caused by a distant television screen. This response mimicked an extratemporal seizure in a young woman with frontal lobe epilepsy, admitted for presurgical evaluation. Novel electronegative responses to electronic devices during video-EEG monitoring merit consideration by EEG interpreters to help avoid misdiagnosis.


Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Photic Stimulation/adverse effects , Seizures/diagnosis , Television , Adult , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Seizures/etiology , Seizures/physiopathology
16.
J Neurosci Nurs ; 53(1): 34-38, 2021 Feb 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33298683

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) and nocturnal non-rapid eye movement parasomnias are difficult to differentiate. Neurologists and sleep medicine clinicians largely rely on clinical history when evaluating nocturnal spells. When the diagnosis is in question, referral for video electroencephalogram monitoring is the standard. However, there are no guidelines as to when this evaluation is needed. The Frontal Lobe Epilepsy Parasomnia (FLEP) scale was developed to assist clinicians in differentiating the two among adults. The aim of this study was to provide a preliminary evaluation of the FLEP for use with children. METHODS: This was a retrospective pilot instrument validation study with a convenience sample of 17 children seen in neurology or sleep medicine clinics. To determine concurrent validity, FLEP scores were compared with clinical diagnoses by neurology providers confirmed by electroencephalography. RESULTS: With a cutoff score of 2, the modified FLEP distinguished between children with and without SHE. The FLEP tool had a specificity of 0.58, implying that 7 of the 12 children without SHE would have been accurately recommended to follow up for parasomnia management rather than more urgent evaluation of potential frontal lobe epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: With some minor adaptations for children, the FLEP satisfactorily distinguished between SHE and non-SHE patients.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Parasomnias , Sleep Wake Disorders , Adult , Child , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Humans , Parasomnias/diagnosis , Polysomnography , Retrospective Studies
17.
Epileptic Disord ; 22(6): 759-767, 2020 Dec 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33337332

To better understand the electroclinical features and epileptic network of lateral and medial orbitofrontal epilepsy (OFE). We evaluated four patients who had undergone epilepsy surgery. Epileptic foci in two patients originated from the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and those in the other two originated from the medial orbitofrontal cortex, which was confirmed by stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG). Time-frequency spectrograms were also provided for assistance, and the change in high-frequency energy was superimposed on the 3D reconstructed brain with a colour code in order to more intuitively show the transfer of high-frequency energy as the seizure evolves. All patients underwent SEEG-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) or focal resection and achieved satisfactory results. Lateral OFE and medial OFE were relatively independent with regards to clinical symptoms and epileptic network, however, lateral OFE was likely to propagate to the dorsolateral frontal lobe, whereas medial OFE (gyrus rectus) was more likely to propagate to the medial temporal lobe or insular lobe with long duration. There were significant differences in duration (21.17 ± 11.5 vs. 127.22 ± 235.05) and early propagation time (7.92 ± 4.44 vs. 29.0 ± 33.47) between the two origins. A better understanding of the electroclinical features of lateral and medial OFE is helpful to understand their epileptic networks and perform accurate resections in order to protect the cognitive and behavioural functions of patients.


Cerebral Cortex/physiopathology , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Adolescent , Adult , Cerebral Cortex/surgery , Child , Child, Preschool , Electrocorticography , Electrodes, Implanted , Electroencephalography/methods , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/surgery , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Prefrontal Cortex/physiopathology , Temporal Lobe/physiopathology
18.
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc ; 2020: 3699-3702, 2020 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33018804

Time- and frequency-domain studies of EEG signals are most commonly employed to study the electrical activities of the brain in order to diagnose potential neurological disorders. In this work, we applied the global coherence approach to help estimating the neural synchrony across multiple nodes in the brain, prior and during a seizure. The ratio of the largest eigenvalue to the sum of the eigenvalues of the cross spectral matrix at a certain frequency and time allowed detecting a strong coordinated neural activity in alpha sub-band for the frontal lobe epilepsy. Kruskal Wallis test reveals that global coherence is an efficient tool before the seizure for the temporal lobe epilepsy in a wide range of frequencies from Delta to Beta sub-bands.Clinical Relevance-The work introduces global coherence as a new and efficient feature in prediction of seizure and specifically for the frontal lobe epilepsy.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe , Brain , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/diagnosis , Humans , Seizures/diagnosis
19.
Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban ; 49(4): 425-430, 2020 Aug 25.
Article Zh | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32985154

Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE), formerly known as nocturnal frontal epilepsy, is characterized by asymmetrical tonic or complex hypermotor seizures during sleep, with transient, frequent and clustering attack. The accurate incidence is not known but somehow low, which is estimated about 1.8/100 000. The differential diagnosis between SHE and parasomnias may be challenging due to possible similarities between the two sleep-related manifestations. In a majority of patients, the etiology is unknown. Identified etiologies are heterogeneous and structural abnormalities,which are involved in the severity and prognosis of SHE. In terms of treatment, it mainly includes pharmacological therapy and surgery. Carbamazepine seems to be the drug of choice in SHE patients, and epilepsy surgery provides excellent results in selected drug-resistant SHE cases. This review will focus on diagnosis, pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis of SHE, aiming to promote its early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Sleep , Diagnosis, Differential , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/drug therapy , Humans
20.
J Int Med Res ; 48(9): 300060520946166, 2020 Sep.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32877235

Frontal lobe epilepsy is a common neurological disorder with a broad spectrum of symptoms. Frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with vertigo is extremely rare, and the relevant pathogenesis remains unclear. Herein, we report a case of frontal lobe epilepsy manifesting as vertigo, and we review the relevant literature. A 34-year-old woman presented with a 10-year history of general tonic-clonic seizures. In the month prior to admission, she experienced nocturnal seizures on two occasions. Video electroencephalogram monitoring showed frequent clinical seizures during which the patient felt transient vertigo. The ictal electroencephalogram revealed a medium-amplitude spike and slow wave complex originating from the frontal lobes. The patient was treated with oral sodium valproate, levetiracetam, and lamotrigine. After a 6-month follow-up period, her seizures were well controlled. Our findings expand the symptom spectrum of epilepsy, suggesting that vertigo can be an uncommon clinical manifestation of frontal lobe epilepsy. Although the pathological correlation between vertigo and epilepsy remains elusive, our findings indicate that vestibular cortical neurons may participate in periodic epileptiform discharges of the frontal lobe. Clinicians should be aware of a potential diagnosis of epilepsy in patients presenting with vertigo as the onset symptom because this condition is usually underdiagnosed.


Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe , Adult , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/complications , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/diagnosis , Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe/drug therapy , Female , Humans , Seizures/drug therapy , Vertigo/etiology
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