Rasmussen encephalitis: long-term outcome after surgery.

Background And Purpose: Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is characterized by intractable epilepsy, progressive hemiparesis, and unilateral hemispheric atrophy. The progression of the symptoms to significant neurological impairment usually occurs within months to a few years. RE causes are unknown, although evidence of an autoimmune process has been extensively described in the literature.

Does the lunar phase have an effect on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy?

The incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in our epilepsy unit over an 8-year period was analyzed to determine a possible association between phase of the moon and SUDEP. Analysis revealed that the number of SUDEPs was highest in full moon (70%), followed by waxing moon (20%) and new moon (10%). No SUDEPs occurred during the waning cycle.

The other side of the coin: Beneficiary effect of omega-3 fatty acids in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

The epilepsies are the most common serious neurological condition. People with epilepsy have a two- to threefold increased risk of dying prematurely than those without epilepsy, and the most common epilepsy-related category of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The exact pathophysiological causes of SUDEP remain unknown, but it is very probable that cardiac arrhythmia during and between seizures plays a potential role.

Interictal hyperemia correlates with epileptogenicity in polymicrogyric cortex.

Objective: To investigate pathophysiological factors underlying the presence of interictal hyperperfusion within the limits of the polymicrogyric (PMG) cortex in epileptic patients.

Methods: Retrospective observational study on interictal perfusion by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in 16 patients with PMG and its correlations with a number of clinical and neurophysiological variables. Patients underwent video-EEG monitoring, neurological and psychiatric assessments, invasive EEG, and the interictal SPECT coregistered to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Is dystonic posturing during temporal lobe epileptic seizures the expression of an endogenous anticonvulsant system?

In temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) seizures, tonic or clonic motor behaviors (TCB) are commonly associated with automatisms, versions, and vocalizations, and frequently occur during secondary generalization. Dystonias are a common finding and appear to be associated with automatisms and head deviation, but have never been directly linked to generalized tonic or clonic behaviors. The objective of the present study was to assess whether dystonias and TCB are coupled in the same seizure or are associated in an antagonistic and exclusive pattern.