Ictal hemiparesis

2 cases of ictal hemiparesis in adults are presented. The clinical picture was recurrent transient hemiparesis with contralateral focal hemispheric discharge. The etiology in such cases seems to be a stimulation of the second somatosensory and/or the supplementary motor areas. Emphasis is placed on the fact that, while transient ischemic attacks in adults are readily diagnosed, some cases might be subject to misdiagnosis, being actually due to inhibitory fits.