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Partial inhibitory seizures: a report on two cases
Insights
This study details epileptic seizures in two children, characterized by tonic-clonic seizures and drop attacks. Polygraphic records linked spike-and-wave discharges to sudden arm drops, suggesting a cortical origin.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epileptology
Background:
- Describes two pediatric epilepsy cases with complex seizure presentations.
- Highlights tonic-clonic seizures, atonic episodes, drop attacks, and myoclonic jerks.
Observation:
- Patient 2 exhibited absence seizures and behavioral disturbances, including minor status epilepticus.
- Polygraphic recordings showed spike-and-wave (sp-w) discharges during outstretched arm tests.
Findings:
- Sudden dropping of outstretched arms correlated with sp-w discharges.
- Arm drops resulted from loss of tone in deltoid muscles, coinciding with slow wave components of bilateral sp-w complexes.
Implications:
- Suggests a cortical origin for these specific seizure episodes.
- Provides detailed clinical and electrophysiologic insights into a particular seizure type.
- Enhances understanding of epilepsy pathophysiology in children.
Abstract:
This paper described two epileptic children with the clinical features of tonic-clonic seizures, brief atonic episodes, drop attacks and myoclonic jerks. Patient 2 also displayed absences and behavioral disturbance with episodes of minor status epilepticus. When the patients held both arms outstretched, polygraphic records revealed the spike-and-wave (sp-w) discharges in association with the sudden dropping of an outstretched arm. The drops were due to a loss of tone recorded in deltoid muscles, and coincided with the slow wave components of bilateral sp-w complexes, predominantly on the contralateral side. In the present paper, the clinical and electrophysiologic features of this particular type of seizure are presented in detail. A cortical origin of these episodes is suggested.