Common infectious and parasitic diseases as a cause of seizures: geographic distribution and contribution to the burden of epilepsy.

This educational review article aims to provide information on the central nervous system (CNS) infectious and parasitic diseases that frequently cause seizures and acquired epilepsy in the developing world. We explain the difficulties in defining acute symptomatic seizures, which are common in patients with meningitis, viral encephalitis, malaria, and neurocysticercosis, most of which are associated with increased mortality and morbidity, including subsequent epilepsy. Geographic location determines the common causes of infectious and parasitic diseases in a particular region.

Epileptic spasms without hypsarrhythmia in infancy and childhood: tonic spasms as a seizure type.

Epileptic spasms were defined by the International League Against Epilepsy Task Force on Classification and Terminology in 2001 as a specific seizure type. Epileptic spasms without hypsarrhythmia have been described in some series of patients, occurring either in infancy or childhood. More prolonged epileptic spasms without hypsarrhythmia were previously defined as a different seizure type, and referred to as "tonic spasm seizures".

Temporopolar blurring in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis and long-term prognosis after epilepsy surgery.

Purpose: We conducted a retrospective study in order to investigate the clinical significance of temporopolar grey/white matter abnormalities (GWMA) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS) with a long post-surgical follow-up.

Methods: The study comprised 122 consecutive patients with medically refractory TLE and unilateral HS who underwent epilepsy surgery and had a minimum postoperative follow-up of 5 years. Patients were divided into two groups, based on findings of pre-surgical MRI: group 1 with GWMA and 2 with normal signal and grey/white matter definition in temporal pole.

Personality traits in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: evidence of cortical abnormalities from a surface morphometry study.

Cluster B personality disorders (PD), characterized as emotional instability, immaturity, lack of discipline, and rapid mood changes, have been observed among patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and have been associated with a worse seizure outcome. Proper understanding of the neurobiology of PD associated with JME could contribute to understanding the basis for earlier and more effective interventions. In the present study, volumetric and geometric features of cortical structure were assessed through an automated cortical surface reconstruction method aiming to verify possible structural cortical alterations among patients with JME.

Refractory nonconvulsive status epilepticus in coma: analysis of the evolution of ictal patterns.

Objective: Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is currently considered as one of the most frequent types of status epilepticus (SE). The objective of the present study was to identify the natural history of the electrographical evolution of refractory NCSE and to establish the relationship between ictal patterns and prognosis.

Methods: We analyzed, retrospectively, 14 patients with loss of consciousness and NCSE.

Auras in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis: relation to seizure focus laterality and post surgical outcome.

We examined the relationship between presence and frequency of different types of auras and side of lesion and post surgical outcomes in 205 patients with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS). With respect to the number of auras, multiple auras were not associated with side of lesion (p=0.551).

Low educational level effects on the performance of healthy adults on a Neuropsychological Protocol suggested by the Commission on Neuropsychology of the Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia.

Objective: To assess cognitive measures and impact of education on cognitive performance (CP) of low educational levels healthy adults (LELHA) on a Neuropsychological Protocol (NP) suggested by the Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia.

Method: 138 subjects from an Education Program for Adults divided into two, age and gender matched groups of 69 subjects, answered the NP: Group 1 (mean of 6.9 ± 2.

Atypical presentation in Rasmussen encephalitis: delayed late-onset periodic epileptic spasms.

A five-and-a-half-year-old girl started experiencing progressive left hemiparesis at age two and a half years. At age five years and four months she started presenting clusters of asymmetric periodic epileptic spasms with no hypsarrhythmia. The ictal EEG showed periodic, constant and stereotyped complexes.

Psychoses of epilepsy: a study comparing the clinical features of patients with focal versus generalized epilepsies.

In the literature, psychosis of epilepsy (POE) has been described as one of the most frequent psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy, occurring particularly in association with temporal lobe epilepsy. However, the presence of such psychiatric disorders among patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies has also been mentioned. In this study, we evaluated the clinical features of psychotic disorders in a series of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy related to mesial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy with the aim of describing and comparing the clinical patterns of the psychotic symptoms in such frequent and important epilepsy syndromes.

Prognosis of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy is related to endophenotypes.

Purpose: To investigate if phenotypic variations have prognostic implications in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).

Methods: Sixty-five consecutive JME patients had video-EEG recording and were followed for at least three years. Reflex traits were defined as seizures and/or EEG discharges induction by eye-closure, photic stimulation, language, praxis or calculation.

The integrity of corpus callosum and cluster B personality disorders: a quantitative MRI study in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Evidence suggests increased prevalence of cluster B personality disorders (PD) among patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), which has been associated with worse seizure control and more psychosocial dysfunctions. A preliminary voxel-based morphometry study demonstrated corpus callosum (CC) volume reduction in patients with JME and cluster B PD, particularly in the posterior midbody and isthmus. In this study we aimed to follow up these results with region of interest analysis.

Prevalence of epilepsy in children from a Brazilian area of high deprivation.

This study assessed the prevalence rate of epilepsy and its causes in children and adolescents in one area of high deprivation in São Paulo, São Paulo, in Southeast Brazil. Between July 2005 and June 2006, 4947 families from a population of 22,013 inhabitants (including 10,405 children and adolescents between the ages of 0 and 16 years) living in the shantytown of Paraisópolis, were interviewed. In the first phase, a validated questionnaire was administered, to identify the occurrence of seizures.

Are personality traits of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy related to frontal lobe dysfunctions? A proton MRS study.

Purpose: Personality traits characterized by emotional instability and immaturity, unsteadiness, lack of discipline, hedonism, frequent and rapid mood changes, and indifference toward one's disease have been associated with patients who have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Literature data demonstrate worse seizure control and more psychosocial dysfunctions among patients with JME who have those traits. In this controlled study we performed a correlation analysis of psychiatric scores with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) values across JME patients, aiming to verify the existence of a possible relation between frontal lobe dysfunction and the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in JME.

Personality traits related to juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: MRI reveals prefrontal abnormalities through a voxel-based morphometry study.

Studies involving juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) patients have demonstrated an elevated prevalence of cluster B personality disorders (PD) characterized as emotional instability, immaturity, unsteadiness, lack of discipline, and rapid mood changes. We aimed to verify a possible correlation between structural brain abnormalities in magnetic resonance image (MRI) and the PD in JME using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Sixteen JME patients with cluster B PD, 38 JME patients without psychiatric disorders, and 30 healthy controls were submitted to a psychiatric evaluation through SCID I and II and to a MRI scan.

Early destructive lesions in the developing brain: clinical and electrographic correlates.

Objective: Early brain insults can cause cavitary lesions including porencephaly (POR) and multicystic encephalopathy (MCE). The objective of this study was to investigate clinical and electrographic correlates associated to these types of destructive brain lesions.

Method: Patients with POR and MCE were selected and submitted to clinical and Video-EEG monitoring.

Psychiatric disorders in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: a controlled study of 100 patients.

In this controlled study we evaluated the frequency of psychiatric disorders (PDs) in 100 patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and compared it with that of 100 healthy controls matched with respect to age, gender, schooling, and socioeconomic status. Our aim was to quantify the frequency of PDs and evaluate the relationship between PDs and factors related to epilepsy. Subjects were evaluated with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I) and Axis II disorders (SCID-II).

Correlation between temporal pole MRI abnormalities and surface ictal EEG patterns in patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: The objective of this retrospective study is to analyze ictal patterns observed during continuous Video-EEG monitoring in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and to correlate these EEG patterns to temporal pole abnormalities observed on magnetic resonance imaging exams.

Methods: We analyzed 147 seizures from 35 patients with TLE and unilateral HS. Ictal patterns were classified and correlated to signal abnormalities and volumetric measures of the temporal poles.

Topiramate for the treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of topiramate (TPM) in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).

Method: We assessed seizure control and adverse effects of TPM in 22 patients (18 females) aged 13 to 53 years. Target TPM dosage was up to 200 mg/day.

Self-perception of factors that precipitate or inhibit seizures in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Purpose: To assess self-perception of factors that precipitate or inhibit seizures in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).

Patients And Methods: Thirty-six males and 39 females with JME and mean age of 25.8+/-8.

Language- and praxis-induced jerks in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Reflex traits have been described in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. We report on four patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy in whom the coexistence of praxis- and language-induced jerks was documented in video-polygraphic EEG recordings.[Published with video sequences].