An unusual case of "somatosensory epilepsy"

The "somatosensory spike" epilepsy is still little known, except in highly specialized places. It depends on two factors: a) it is rare (mean incidence: 1 case in 1,000 new EEGs); b) the evoked spikes that constitute the first sign for the evolution of the syndrome are not systematically sought, also many months can pass before finding one "positive" case. The evolution of a "positive" case towards epilepsy is represented by a 15% possibility. An unusual case of this syndrome is presented, which is of interest both because it constitutes the first case in the literature and because of the neurophysiological problems that it reveals. The case is represented by a 10-year-old girl, who presented a particular form of "somatosensory spike" epilepsy; the focal motor seizures were localized at the first three fingers of the right hand and the EEG finding was a focus of spikes on the left temporo-central region. She arrived at this stage after going through the four classical states of "somatosensory spike" epilepsy.