Periodic Eye Movements and Epileptic Spasms in West Syndrome

J Child Neurol. 2013 Nov;28(11):1483-1484. doi: 10.1177/0883073813489169. Epub 2013 May 13.

Abstract

In addition to the typical infantile spasm symptoms, several other symptoms, such as eye movements, have been reported to be associated with infantile spasms, although the relationship between the typical spasms and these other events is not fully understood. Here we present a case with West syndrome. We observed the appearance of periodic eye movements followed by the onset of typical spasms and the appearance/disappearance of periodic eye movements during withdrawal/increases of vigabatrin. We believe that the case strongly supports the notion that periodic eye movements and typical spasms represent a spectrum of symptoms related to the same phenomenon of West syndrome.

Keywords: West syndrome; epileptic spasms; hypsarrhythmia; periodic eye movements.