Early and long-term electroclinical features of patients with epilepsy and PCDH19 mutation.

Protocadherin 19 (PCDH19) mutations have been identified in epilepsy in females with mental retardation as well as patients with a "Dravet-like" phenotype. We aimed to elucidate the electroclinical phenotype associated with PCDH19 mutation, which is currently difficult to identify at onset leading to a delay in diagnosis. We retrospectively reviewed clinical and EEG data for 13 consecutive patients with PCDH19 mutations or deletions diagnosed at our centers from 2009 to 2011, and followed these patients into adolescence and adulthood.

Chiari type I malformation causing central apnoeas in a 4-month-old boy.

Apnoea is a rare but well-known clinical presentation of the Chiari type I malformation. It may be either obstructive or central in nature, and has been described in children, adolescents and adults. Here, we report a 4-month-old infant who presented with frequent central sleep apnoeas leading to the diagnosis of a Chiari type I malformation.

Cognitive functions in children with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS).

Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is regarded as a benign form of epilepsy because of its usually favorable outcome, in terms of seizures. Eighteen children with BECTS were studied in terms of neuropsychological and learning abilities: intellectual quotient, oral language (phonological production, naming skills, verbal fluency and syntactic comprehension), drawing and visuo-spatial skills, visual and selective attention, verbal and visuo-spatial memory, reading, numeracy and spelling. The mean IQ of the population was within the normal range, but individual results were heterogeneous.

Familial rectal pain: a familial autonomic disorder as a cause of paroxysmal attacks in the newborn baby.

A 2-day-old baby exhibited impressive paroxysmal attacks consisting of bradycardia, bronchospasm and vasomotor fits (Harlequin type) related to a rare, dominantly inherited form of dysautonomy called "familial rectal pain". These events were recurrently triggered by emotion, diaper changes or wiping of the perineal areas or eating. Sometimes they occurred spontaneously.