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Epileptic seizures in a descendant of Dom Pedro I
Marleide da Mota Gomes1, Heber de Souza Maia Filho
1Epilepsy Program, Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. mmotagomes@acd.ufrj.br
Unlabelled:
Intrauterine seizure is a rare event. Genetic predisposition and trauma are possible risk factors.
Objective:
To review and comment on the historical description of intrauterine events of a bastard daughter of Dom Pedro I (Maria Isabel Alcântara Brasileira - 1830-1896).
Method:
Review of historical facts about the health of Dom Pedro I's daughter according to primary and secondary historical data.
Results:
According to historical accounts, Dom Pedro I's daughter suffered trauma during the intrauterine period that provoked intrauterine seizures. At the age of eight years, she developed self-limited and benign generalized epilepsy. Like her father, she had mood problems and also learning difficulties.
Conclusion:
Dona Maria Isabel's own report does not shown sufficient evidence to support the diagnosis of post-traumatic intrauterine seizures. Nevertheless, her family history suggests a genetic basis for her epilepsy.
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