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Brain tumors associated with infantile spasms
1Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Medical University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Pediatric Neurology
|May 1, 1995
Summary
Brain tumors may cause infantile spasms in infants. Treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone and clonazepam relieved seizures in two cases, suggesting focal lesions contribute to infantile spasms.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neuro-oncology
Background:
- Infantile spasms (IS) are a severe epilepsy syndrome in infants.
- The etiology of IS is often unknown, but focal brain lesions are increasingly recognized as a cause.
Observation:
- Two infants presented with typical infantile spasms, including tonic seizures and hypsarrhythmia.
- Patient 1 had a hypothalamic hamartoma; Patient 2 had a primary brain tumor (mixed-oligoastrocytoma) with calcification.
- Both infants' seizures resolved with adrenocorticotropic hormone therapy and clonazepam.
Findings:
- Focal brain lesions, such as hypothalamic hamartoma and mixed-oligoastrocytoma, can be associated with infantile spasms.
- Surgical resection was not feasible for the hypothalamic hamartoma due to its location and lack of a stalk.
Implications:
- This case series suggests a potential causal link between specific focal brain lesions and the development of infantile spasms.
- Early identification and characterization of brain lesions may be crucial for managing infantile spasms.