title: Seizure disorders in Down syndrome.
abstract: The prevalence, onset, and type of seizure disorders, as well as seizure control, were studied in a large cohort of 405 individuals with Down syndrome (age range, 6 months to 45 years). The evaluation of a questionnaire completed by the subjects' parents and of the patients' medical records indicated that 33 (8.1%) of 405 persons with Down syndrome had seizure disorder. With regard to the onset of seizures, a bimodal distribution was noted: 40% of patients began having seizures before the age of 1 year, and another 40% started with seizure activity in the third decade of life. In the younger age group, primarily infantile spasms and tonic-clonic seizures with myoclonus were observed, and the older patients often had partial simplex or partial complex seizures as well as tonic-clonic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pueschel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McKnight
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012640:Seizures / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants