Can protrusion of the tongue stop seizures in Rolandic epilepsy?
We report the case of a child with benign partial epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECT) in whom protrusion of the tongue stopped the interictal abnormalities, and describe the polygraphic EEG recording of a seizure which terminated upon voluntary protrusion of the tongue. We mention the close link between the post-central (somatosensory) cortex and pre-central (motor) cortex, and how the primary sensory area has direct access to the motor cortex. We also examine how a tactile stimulus may provoke the inhibition of an epileptic discharge.
Veggiotti
P
P
Child Neuropsychiatry Division, Foundation Istituto Neurologico Casimiro Mondino IRCCS, University of Pavia, Italy. pveggiot@unipv.it
Beccaria
F
F
Gatti
A
A
Papalia
G
G
Resi
C
C
Lanzi
G
G
D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation; D014061:Tongue Habits