Frontal lobe epilepsy may present as myoclonic seizures

Epilepsy Behav. 2010 Apr;17(4):561-4. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.01.022. Epub 2010 Feb 23.

Abstract

We describe a patient with seizures arising from right anterior-inferior frontal lobe presenting as myoclonic epilepsy. A 19-year-old man had experienced frequent paroxysmal bilateral myoclonic jerks involving his upper arms, shoulders, neck, and upper trunk since the age of 10. His baseline EEG showed intermittent right frontal spikes, and his ictal EEG showed rhythmic sharp theta discharges in the same area. MRI revealed cortical dysplasia in the right inferior frontal gyrus, and ictal-interictal SPECT analysis by SPM showed increased signal abnormality in this region. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed defects in fasciculi in the same area. These findings suggest that frontal lobe epilepsy should be considered in some patients with myoclonic seizures.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Brain Mapping
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic / diagnosis*
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic / diagnostic imaging
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic / drug therapy
  • Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / diagnosis*
  • Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / diagnostic imaging
  • Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / methods
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants