[Multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. An analysis of 14 case histories]

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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

A Multimodal Imaging- and Stimulation-based Method of Evaluating Connectivity-related Brain Excitability in Patients with Epilepsy
08:23

A Multimodal Imaging- and Stimulation-based Method of Evaluating Connectivity-related Brain Excitability in Patients with Epilepsy

Published on: November 13, 2016

T Büttner1, C R Hornig, W Dorndorf

  • 1Neurologische Klinik, Justus-Leibig-Universität Giessen.

Der Nervenarzt
|May 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

Epileptic seizures are rare in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. When seizures occur, they may stem from MS-related lesions or other causes, with longer intervals suggesting unrelated epilepsy.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroimmunology

Background:

  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.
  • Epileptic seizures are an uncommon manifestation of MS.

Observation:

  • Fourteen out of 330 MS patients experienced epileptic seizures.
  • Seizure types included generalized motor (GM) and uncinate fits.
  • EEG showed epileptic foci in two patients.

Findings:

  • Epilepsy likely originated from MS in six patients; in four, it was due to other causes.
  • Neuroimaging (MRI, CCT) revealed cortex-adjacent lesions and subcortical demyelination, particularly in the temporal lobe.
  • A longer interval between MS onset and seizure onset correlated with non-MS-related epilepsy.

Implications:

  • Epileptic seizures are a rare but possible symptom in MS.
  • Understanding the etiology of seizures in MS patients is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
  • Temporal lobe lesions may predispose MS patients to seizures.

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