title: Hippocampal atrophy and developmental regression as first sign of linear scleroderma "en coup de sabre".
abstract: An 8-year-old girl with linear scleroderma "en coup de sabre" is reported who, at preschool age, presented with intractable simple partial seizures more than 1 year before skin lesions were first noticed. MRI revealed hippocampal atrophy, controlaterally to the seizures and ipsilaterally to the skin lesions. In the following months, a mental and motor regression was noticed. Cerebral CT scan showed multiple foci of calcifications in the affected hemisphere. In previously reported patients the skin lesions preceded the neurological signs. To the best of our knowledge, hippocampal atrophy was not earlier reported as presenting symptom of linear scleroderma. Linear scleroderma should be included in the differential diagnosis in patients with unilateral hippocampal atrophy even when the typical skin lesions are not present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. helene.verhelst@ugent.be
authors.forename: Helene E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Verhelst
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beele
authors.forename: Rik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joos
authors.forename: Benedicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanneuville
authors.forename: Rudy N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Van Coster
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001284:Atrophy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D045745:Scleroderma, Limited / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants