title: Importance of diazepam administration during electroencephalography in the differential diagnosis of cortical visual loss.
abstract: A 14-year-old boy presented with acute visual loss due to cortical blindness. Two weeks after the visual symptoms, the patient developed behavioral abnormalities. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed hyperintense lesions at parieto-occipital lobes on T2-weighted and fluid attenuated inversion recovery images. Sleep and awake electroencephalography (EEG) were normal, but diazepam administration revealed bilateral periodic synchronous complexes occurring every 20 to 30 seconds. Elevated measles antibody titers in cerebrospinal fluid confirmed the diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. We conclude that visual loss due to cortical blindness is an important finding of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Diazepam administration during EEG should be a part of investigation in cases with unexplained cortical blindness.
authors.affiliation: 1Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Uluc
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yis
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Topcu
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: Pakize
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karakaya
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cakmakci
authors.forename: Semra Hiz
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kurul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019575:Blindness, Cortical / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000187:drug effects; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D003975:Diazepam