Startle epilepsy: A clinical study

✍ Scribed by E. Sàenz-Lope; F. J. Herranz; Dr J. C. Masdeu

• Book ID: 101465281
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 386 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0364-5134
• DOI: 10.1002/ana.410160115

✦ Synopsis

Twelve patients with perinatal anoxic encephalopathy, 1 with encephalitis, and 1 with Down's syndrome had startle epilepsy. Hemiparesis, startle-induced seizures involving the hemiparetic side, focal electroencephalographic abnormalities, and unilateral lesions evident on computed tomographic scan were found in 6 patients, all of whom responded favorably to carbamazepine. The remaining 8 patients had severe intellectual impairment, bilateral motor deficits, generalized startle-induced seizures, diffuse and lasting electroencephalographic abnormalities, and widespread cerebral lesions evident on computed tomographic scan. Of these, 2 patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome responded to clonazepam, 4 others responded to valproic acid, and 2 others, with predominantly focal hemispheric lesions, improved on a regimen of carbamazepine.