Startle epilepsy presenting as drop attacks: a case report.
A case of startle epilepsy, induced by an unexpected touch on the left shoulder of a 3.5 year old boy, was investigated. The startle epilepsy manifested as an atonic drop attack. Neurological examination revealed a mild hemiparesis on the left side. Computed tomography (CT) scanning demonstrated an enhancement over the right parieto-frontal region, suggesting a hemangioma. Interictal electroencephalography (EEG) showed diffuse slowing and asymmetry of background activities with lower amplitude over the right centro-parieto-temporal region. The ictal EEG showed a paroxysmal bilaterally synchronized high amplitude single spike followed by a few slow waves lasting about one second over the bilateral centro-parieto-temporal regions. The seizure resisted anticonvulsant therapy and no significant responses were observed despite the use of combined therapy with valproic acid, phenytoin, primidone and clonazepam.
Lin
Y Y
YY
Neurological Institute, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Su
M S
MS
Yiu
C H
CH
Kwan
S Y
SY
Tu
Y F
YF
Guo
W Y
WY
Wong
T T
TT
Chang
K P
KP
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D014110:Touch