Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
09:57

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Epileptic encephalopathy in children with risk factors for brain damage

Josefina Ricardo-Garcell1, Thalía Harmony, Eneida Porras-Kattz

  • 1Unidad de Investigación en Neurodesarrollo, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, 76230 Querétaro, ORO, Mexico.

Epilepsy Research and Treatment
|September 8, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal and perinatal risk factors contribute to brain damage in newborns, leading to epileptic encephalopathies like West syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Early detection and intervention are crucial for affected infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal neurology
  • Pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Neuroimaging in infants

Background:

  • West syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are severe epileptic encephalopathies in infants.
  • Prenatal and perinatal risk factors are implicated in neonatal brain injury.
  • Periventricular leukomalacia is a common finding in infants with brain damage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of prenatal and perinatal risk factors in the development of West syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
  • To describe the clinical and neuroimaging findings in infants with these conditions.
  • To emphasize the importance of early detection and management of epileptic encephalopathies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 15 infants with West syndrome progressing to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or isolated Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
  • Review of prenatal and perinatal risk factors, clinical history, and neuroimaging (MRI).
  • Neurodevelopmental assessment and follow-up.

Main Results:

  • 15 infants (11 with West syndrome progressing to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, 4 with isolated Lennox-Gastaut syndrome) were studied.
  • Common risk factors included prematurity, severe asphyxia, placental disorders, sepsis, and hyperbilirubinemia.
  • All infants showed MRI evidence of periventricular leukomalacia.
  • Follow-up revealed moderate to severe neurodevelopmental delay and cerebral palsy.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal and perinatal risk factors are significant antecedents of brain damage leading to epileptic encephalopathies.
  • Early and consistent follow-up of at-risk infants is essential for timely diagnosis and treatment.
  • Prompt management can improve outcomes for infants with West syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

More Related Videos

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury09:16

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

Published on: June 21, 2019

Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy10:22

Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy

Published on: December 6, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

Encephalitis l: Introduction

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Epilepsy ll: Types01:22

Epilepsy ll: Types

Recurrent seizures, stemming from abnormal electrical activity in the brain, are the defining characteristic of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition. Because seizure features vary greatly, epilepsy is classified using two systems: by seizure type and by epilepsy syndromes. These classifications enable clinicians to describe seizure patterns and select suitable treatment strategies.I. Classification by Seizure Type1. Focal EpilepsyFocal epilepsy begins in one hemisphere of the brain.
Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
Seizures l: Introduction01:20

Seizures l: Introduction

Understanding seizures and epilepsy relies on key definitions that help in recognizing, classifying, and managing these disorders. These definitions provide a framework for recognizing, classifying, and managing seizure disorders.DefinitionsA seizure is a sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in awareness, movement, sensation, or behavior, depending on the area involved. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures,...
Hepatic Encephalopathy01:29

Hepatic Encephalopathy

DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...