title: Premonitory symptoms in epilepsy.
abstract: We studied premonitory symptoms in 128 patients with partial and 20 patients with primary generalized epilepsy. Sixty symptoms were reported by 43 (29%) patients, all of whom had partial seizure disorders (P < .01). Symptoms began at least 30 minutes before seizure onset, lasted 10 minutes to 3 days, and were continuous. Irritability, depression, headache, 'funny feeling', and confusion were the most common symptoms. Premonitory symptoms are a warning system in some patients and may permit therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, NYU School of Medicine, Hospital for Joint Diseases, NY 10003.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Devinsky
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bromfield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants