title: Epileptogenesis due to peripheral injury as a cause of focal epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report three patients in whom focal epilepsy developed shortly after painful soft tissue injuries to their hands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The attacks started in the injured hand. No evidence was found of an underlying brain lesion by history or from imaging studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These cases suggest the possibility that the injuries led to a plastic change in the sensory/motor cortex, leading to increased excitability and ultimately to seizures. This suggests that epileptogenesis can occur in response to painful peripheral stimuli in some individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Kingston General Hospital, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
authors.forename: Allison E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Spiller
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guberman
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bartolomei
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zifkin
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020195:Epilepsy, Reflex / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology