Cardiac asystole during right frontal lobe seizures: a case report.
The association between partial seizures and cardiac asystole has rarely been reported in the literature. This potentially life-threatening symptom has been observed principally in left-sided epilepsies, in particular during seizures originating in temporal lobe. We describe a case with ictal bradycardia followed by cardiac asystole during right frontal lobe seizures. Video-EEG monitoring recorded two partial seizures with electro-clinical findings suggestive of a right frontal lobe origin, associated with ictal bradycardia followed by prolonged asystole. The brain MRI showed a lesion located in the cingulate gyrus of the right frontal lobe. The patient required a subsequent placement of a pacemaker. In conclusion, cardiac asystole may be a potentially life-threatening symptom during seizures of frontal lobe origin. The right fronto-mesial structures may play a role in autonomic regulation of cardiovascular responses.
Mascia
A
A
Epilepsy Surgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, I-86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
Quarato
P P
PP
Sparano
A
A
Esposito
V
V
Sebastiano
F
F
Occhiogrosso
G
G
Di Gennaro
G
G
D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male