Novel clinical features of nonconvulsive status epilepticus.

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) has rapidly expanded from classical features such as staring, repetitive blinking, chewing, swallowing, and automatism to include coma, prolonged apnea, cardiac arrest, dementia, and higher brain dysfunction, which were demonstrated mainly after the 2000s by us and other groups. This review details novel clinical features of NCSE as a manifestation of epilepsy, but one that is underdiagnosed, with the best available evidence. Also, we describe the new concept of epilepsy-related organ dysfunction (Epi-ROD) and a novel electrode and headset which enables prompt electroencephalography.

[Confabulation: From the Aspect of Disturbance in Time Perception].

Confabulation is a false story that amnesic patients make up unintentionally, by recollecting irrelevant memories instead of relevant. Disconnection of a brain network, including the diencephalon, basal forebrain, orbitofrontal, cortex and medial temporal lobe, could be the cause of this neuropsychological symptom. Considering confabulation from the aspect of disturbance in time perception is useful in understanding the mechanism of human time perception and the essence of confabulation.

[Association between Elderly Onset Epilepsy and Dementia].

Japan is experiencing an increase in the number of patients with dementia, and the incidence of epilepsy is high among the elderly. A survey of patients with epilepsy who were admitted to our hospital's neurology department showed that new onset epilepsy occurred more frequently in elderly patients. In addition, a greater proportion of elderly patients had dementia as an underlying disease.