Startle epilepsy: a clinical study.
Twelve patients with perinatal anoxic encephalopathy, 1 with encephalitis, and 1 with Down's syndrome had startle epilepsy. Hemiparesis, startle-induced seizures involving the hemiparetic side, focal electroencephalographic abnormalities, and unilateral lesions evident on computed tomographic scan were found in 6 patients, all of whom responded favorably to carbamazepine. The remaining 8 patients had severe intellectual impairment, bilateral motor deficits, generalized startle-induced seizures, diffuse and lasting electroencephalographic abnormalities, and widespread cerebral lesions evident on computed tomographic scan. Of these, 2 patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome responded to clonazepam, 4 others responded to valproic acid, and 2 others, with predominantly focal hemispheric lesions, improved on a regimen of carbamazepine.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*
D000927:Anticonvulsants