TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY AS UNIQUE MANIFESTATION OF BENIGN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Abstract number :
3.126
Submission category :
Year :
2002
Submission ID :
1543
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2002 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2002, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Antonio Gambardella, Paola Valentino, Angelo Labate, Grazia Sibilia, Francesca Ruscica, Eleonora Colosimo, Aldo Quattrone. Institute of Neurology, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy; Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, P
RATIONALE: It is known that epileptic seizures may occur in multiple sclerosis (MS), but no previous study has addressed the issue of whether or not epilepsy constitutes the sole manifestation for many years. Here, we report on six patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) as the unique manifestation of benign MS.
METHODS: Six patients (five women, one man; mean age 34.3 years; range 31 to 39) with TLE and MS were identified among 16 of 350 (4.6%) consecutive patients with MS who also had epileptic seizures. All patients underwent a comprehensive clinical, electroencephalographic, and laboratory investigation. Repeated brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed at baseline and after approximately one year. The mean follow-up period for all patients was five years (range 3-10 years).
RESULTS: Neurological examination was unremarkable in all patients and remained unchanged at follow-up. In all cases the habitual seizures started in the second or third decade, and consisted of simple or complex partial seizures of clear temporal lobe origin. Interictal EEG revealed temporal sharp-slow wave complexes occurring mainly during sleep. On brain MRI, all patients had at least one juxta-cortical lesion in the temporal region, which always coincided with the epileptogenic region. Antiepileptic medication was effective in all treated patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides the first evidence of a peculiar form of benign MS characterized by TLE as the unique manifestation of the disease with no disability or MS relapses at long-term follow-up.