Related Experiment Videos
Exacerbation of vocal tics after temporal lobectomy.
D Sinno1, H Al-Amin, H El Amin
1Department of Pediatrics, American University of Beirut-Medical Center, Lebanon.
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B
|June 13, 2006
Summary
Temporal lobe epilepsy surgery can worsen vocal tics, even when the surgery is on the nondominant side. This rare side effect highlights the complex relationship between brain surgery and tic disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common neurological disorder.
- Surgical resection is a treatment option for intractable TLE.
- Vocal tics are involuntary vocalizations that can be associated with various neurological conditions.
Observation:
- A patient with intractable left temporal lobe epilepsy underwent a temporal lobectomy.
- The patient had a history of vocal tics prior to surgery.
- The surgery successfully controlled the patient's seizures.
Findings:
- Following the temporal lobectomy, the patient experienced a significant and prolonged exacerbation of her vocal tics.
- The Wada test indicated right-sided speech dominance, meaning the left temporal lobe was dominant for speech.
- This case represents the second reported instance of tic exacerbation after resection of the nondominant temporal lobe.
Implications:
- Resection of the nondominant temporal lobe may, in rare cases, lead to worsening of vocal tics.
- This finding suggests complex interhemispheric or subcortical influences on tic generation.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and to inform surgical decision-making.