title: Small hypothalamic hamartomas and gelastic seizures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical history of patients with gelastic seizures (GSs) related to small-size hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs), and to show some of these unusual seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with GSs and the MRI finding of HH < 1 cm diameter. Ictal EEG or video EEG are required.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three patients, among 6 with GSs and HH, had a small sessile HH. None of them had a history of precocious puberty, nor any relevant cognitive defects. All patients suffered from other seizure types, in addition to GSs. GSs were drug-resistant in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  since small, not easily recognizable HHs may be present in patients with GSs, a careful MRI study of the hypothalamic, infundibular and mammillary bodys areas is mandatory in these cases [published with videosequences].
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Epilepsy Center, Federico II University, Via Pansini 5, Naples, Italy. sstriano@libero.it
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Striano
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Striano
authors.forename: Sossio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cirillo
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nocerino
authors.forename: Leonilda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bilo
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meo
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruosi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boccella
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Briganti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged