title: Stuttering or reflex seizure? A case report.
abstract: Stuttering is characterized by involuntary syllabic repetitions and interruption in the smooth flow of speech. The exact cause of primary stuttering remains a matter of debate but a frontal dysfunction has been evoked. On the other hand, acquired stuttering is uncommon. We report a case of reflex epilepsy in which seizures were triggered by reading aloud or stressful conversation. Each paroxysmal event in left frontal region was associated clinically with a language disorder mimicking stuttering. Our observation suggests that reflex frontal focal epilepsy could be a putative etiology for acquired stuttering.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Exploration Fonctionnelle du Système Nerveux, Hôpital Pellegrin, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burbaud
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taillard
authors.forename: Tsouria
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaida
authors.forename: Pierre Alain
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duché
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bioulac
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D020195:Epilepsy, Reflex / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D011932:Reading; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D013342:Stuttering / Q000503:physiopathology*