Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale
Published on: July 8, 2025
[Epileptic spasms without hypsarrhythmia showing astatic seizures in clusters]
Norimichi Higurashi1, Shin-Ichiro Hamano, Satoshi Yoshinari
1Division of Neurology, Saitama Children's Medical Center, Saitama. n58181am@pref.saitama.lg.jp
Abstract:
It is difficult to differentiate astatic seizures among atonic, myoclonic and tonic seizures without the help of ictal polygraphic recordings. We described a girl with epilepsy presenting periodic astasia caused by epileptic spasms. Her seizures had occurred in clusters since 1-year and 7-month of age. Her interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) showed intermittent diffuse (poly) spike (s) and wave discharges, without a trace of hypsarrhythmia. She had a diagnosis of epilepsy with myoclonic-astatic seizures at a previous hospital, and her seizures had been resistant to multiple antiepileptic agents. After she was referred to our hospital, the ictal video-EEG recordings were made before and after ACTH administration, which revealed that her astatic seizures were epileptic spasms with presumed cortical origin. We should carefully evaluate the astatic seizures during early childhood which may be an atypical presentation of epileptic spasms.
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