Default mode network deactivation in pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy: Relationship to a working memory task and executive function tests.

Objectives: Children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) exhibit executive dysfunction on traditional neuropsychological tests. There is limited evidence of different functional network alterations associated with this clinical executive dysfunction. This study investigates working memory deficits in children with TLE by assessing deactivation of the default mode network (DMN) on functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and the relationship of DMN deactivation with fMRI behavioral findings and neuropsychological test performance.

Periodic Lateralized Epileptiform Discharges (PLEDs) in Patients With Neurosyphilis and HIV Infection.

Periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) are an electroencephalographic pattern recorded in the setting of a variety of brain abnormalities. It is best recognized for its association with acute viral encephalitis, stroke, tumor, or latestatus epilepticus. However, there are other conditions that have been recognized as the underlying pathology for PLEDs such as alcohol withdrawal, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, anoxic brain injury, and hemiplegic migraine.

Successful ECT treatment for medically refractory nonconvulsive status epilepticus in pediatric patient.

Status epilepticus is a life threatening condition with a high mortality rate in spite of aggressive treatment. There is little consensus on third and fourth line approaches in refractory cases. While electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been employed successfully as a treatment for refractory epilepsy and status epilepticus (SE) after exhausting conventional therapy, its use for pediatric patients is limited.

Somatosensory evoked potential monitoring of the brachial plexus during a Woodward procedure for correction of Sprengel's deformity.

Sprengel's deformity is the most common congenital deformity of the shoulder. A known complication of correcting this deformity is brachial plexus palsy. In this study we used somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring during correction of a Sprengel's deformity and identified an early iatrogenic brachial plexus injury.

Zonisamide concentrations during pregnancy.

Objective: To describe a series of serum concentrations of zonisamide in a pregnant woman.

Case Summary: A 30-year-old woman with primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures and myoclonic jerks was taking zonisamide 200 mg daily as her sole antiepileptic agent when she conceived. She continued on zonisamide throughout her pregnancy.

Gabapentin-induced myoclonus in end-stage renal disease.

Purpose: We analyzed the occurrence and clinical features of myoclonus in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who were treated with gabapentin (GBP).

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients with ESRD who were treated with GBP and hospitalized during an 18-month period and analyzed clinical details such as type of myoclonus, doses of GBP, electroencephalographic (EEG) findings, and relation of symptoms to GBP exposure and dosage.

Results: Three of 71 patients had myoclonus with GBP doses ranging from 9 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg and within 4 months of treatment onset.

Dysphonia associated with carotidynia and migraine responding to dihydroergotamine.

Carotidynia is characterized by throbbing pain over the carotid artery and may be caused by migraine. We report a case of a 54-year-old woman with recurrent dysphonia associated with carotidynia and other features of atypical migraine that resolved after treatment with dihydroergotamine. To our knowledge, this is the first report of dysphonia associated with migraine.

Assessment and cost comparison of sleep-deprived EEG, MRI and PET in the prediction of surgical treatment for epilepsy.

Our aim was to determine if less expensive interictal indices can predict which epilepsy patients may benefit from the more expensive comprehensive pre-surgical evaluation. Surgical treatment was determined based on the results of a comprehensive inpatient continuous video-EEG monitoring. This evaluation included three interictal tests, which were reviewed retrospectively-2 hour-sleep-deprived electroencephalogram (SDEEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET).