title: Periodic spasms: an unclassified type of epileptic seizure in childhood.
abstract: Seven boys aged between 14 months and 13 years with focal or multifocal partial epilepsy had very unusual seizures, characterized by series of periodic bilateral spasms. These consisted of a brief, complex movement of slight to severe intensity, mainly involving the axial muscles, with raising of the shoulders, adversion of the eyes and head, often with rictus-type facial grimaces and occasional stretching of the legs and emission of a guttural sound. The ictal EEG showed a pattern of periodic complexes, characterized by a slow wave with superimposed fast activity. This form of epileptic seizure is resistant to treatment and is found only in patients affected by a brain disease consisting of a fixed or progressive encephalopathy. These observations document the existence of a rare form of seizure or epileptic event, not yet included in the International Classification of epileptic seizures and clinically relevant because of its diagnostic and prognostic implications.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D004576:Electromyography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*