Temporal lobe epilepsy: clinical semiology and neurophysiological studies

Most partial epilepsy crises originate in the temporal lobe. Two main syndromes have been described in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE): mesial temporal epilepsy and neocortical temporal epilepsy. In recent years, the number and types of drugs used to control the crises have significantly increased, but almost 30% of patients do not have complete control of their epilepsy. In those cases, surgery is an efficient therapeutic option, especially in the case of mesial temporal sclerosis. Before surgery, wide and complex neurophysiological studies are needed to precisely delineate the epileptogenic area. The clinical and neurophysiological aspects of TLE that may be useful for understanding this pathologic entity are reviewed.