title: Eyelid fluttering, typical EEG pattern, and impaired intellectual function: a homogeneous epileptic condition among the patients presenting with eyelid myoclonia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study aims to review the electroclinical features of patients presenting with eyelid myoclonia (EM) with and without absences.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Italian chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) has been conducting an electroclinical study of patients with EM. Among these, we searched for and selected the patients presenting with both impairment of intellectual functions and a peculiar ictal electroencephalography (EEG) pattern, that is, a discharge of fast generalized polyspikes/polyspikes and waves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 18 patients matching this electroclinical picture. All the patients were photosensitive. All of them had associated generalized, mostly nocturnal, tonic-clonic seizures. During the evolution, 13 patients presented episodes of EM status. Despite adequate antiepileptic treatment, the patients remained drug resistant for many years or throughout the evolution. The degree of impairment of intellectual functions varied from borderline level to moderate mental retardation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients we described herein can be considered a homogeneous group in the more heterogeneous group of patients presenting with EM. Further clinical and, more probably, genetic studies will clarify whether this condition could be considered a specific and homogeneous condition in the more heterogeneous group of patients presenting with EM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, Ospedale C Poma, Mantova, Italy. giuseppe.capovilla@ospedalimantova.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capovilla
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Striano
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beccaria
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casellato
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubboli
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sofia
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teutonico
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Striano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005143:Eyelids / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants