Contralateral motor automatisms in neocortical temporal lobe epilepsy.
BACKGROUND
The lateralizing value of the motor automatisms is generally doubted in most patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. However, subgroup analysis of the seizures of temporal lobe origin suggests a role for motor automatisms in discriminating seizures of neocortical versus mesial temporal lobe origin.


METHODS
Video-EEG of a patient with well-defined neocortical temporal lobe epilepsy was reviewed to assess the localizing value of motor automatisms.


RESULTS
We report a patient with left upper extremity motor automatisms and clonic movements of the proximal left lower extremity with altered awareness as the sole manifestations of right temporal neocortical seizures.


CONCLUSIONS
Early onset unilateral motor automatisms without dystonic posturing can localize the seizure origin to the contralateral temporal lobe neocortex.
Mirsattari
Seyed M
SM
Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Lee
Donald H
DH
Blume
Warren T
WT
D001332:Automatism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019579:Neocortex / Q000473:pathology*