Tooth-brushing epilepsy with ictal orgasms.
We report a 41-year-old woman with complex reflex epilepsy in which seizures were induced exclusively by the act of tooth brushing. All the attacks occurred with a specific sensation of sexual arousal and orgasm-like euphoria that were followed by a period of impairment of consciousness. Ictal EEG demonstrated two events of epileptic seizure that were provoked after tooth brushing for 38 and 14 seconds, respectively. The interictal EEG showed epileptiform discharges over the right anterior temporal region and interictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan showed relative hypoperfusion in the uncus of right temporal lobe. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed right hippocampal atrophy. We suggest that tooth-brushing epilepsy, especially with sexual ictal manifestations, may provide insight into the cerebral pathophysiology at the right temporolimbic structure.
Chuang
Yao-Chung
YC
Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
Lin
Tsu-Kung
TK
Lui
Chun-Chung
CC
Chen
Shang-Der
SD
Chang
Chen-Sheng
CS
D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009948:Orgasm / Q000502:physiology*; D014099:Toothbrushing