Vagus nerve stimulation might have a unique effect in reflex eating seizures.
We studied the effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on eating seizures, which theoretically would be triggered by neural activity and signaling from organs innervated by the vagus nerve. Three adult patients with daily nonreflex and reflex eating seizures were studied; one patient also had hot-water seizures. One patient had bilateral polymicrogyria and two had normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. All patients were submitted to VNS implantation and had at least 2 years of postimplantation follow-up. Final stimulation parameters were 2.0-2.5 mA, 500 micros, and 30 Hz. Eating seizures decreased 70-95% and nonreflex seizures decreased 0-40% after VNS. There was no improvement in hot-water seizures. VNS seems to be an especially useful treatment modality in patients with reflex eating seizures not amenable to resective surgery.
Epilepsy Surgery Program, Hospital Brigadeiro, São Paulo, Brazil. acukiert@uol.com.br
Arthur
A
Cukiert
Pedro Paulo
PP
Mariani
Jose Augusto
JA
Burattini
Cristine Mella
CM
Cukiert
Cassio
C
Forster
Carla
C
Baise
Meire
M
Argentoni-Baldochi
Valeria
V
Mello
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D020195:Epilepsy, Reflex / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*
D000927:Anticonvulsants