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Torres-Fortuny A, Aras LM, Duñabeitia JA. Assessment of aggressive behavior in Dravet syndrome: a critical look. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1403681. [PMID: 38741918 PMCID: PMC11089182 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1403681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Luis Miguel Aras
- Asociación ApoyoDravet, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Servicio Navarro de Salud-Osasunbidea, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jon Andoni Duñabeitia
- Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición (CINC), Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Datta AN. A video case vignette: Hypermotor activity, ictal aggression, and bolting in an adolescent with an anteromedial temporal lesion. Epileptic Disord 2024; 26:236-239. [PMID: 37971030 DOI: 10.1002/epd2.20176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Content available: Video.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita N Datta
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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3
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Gaitanis J, Nie D, Hou T, Frye R. Developmental Regression Followed by Epilepsy and Aggression: A New Syndrome in Autism Spectrum Disorder? J Pers Med 2023; 13:1049. [PMID: 37511662 PMCID: PMC10381960 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with regression (ASD-R) involves the loss of previously attained developmental milestones, typically during the first or second year of life. As children age, it is not uncommon for them to develop comorbid conditions such as aggressive behaviors or epilepsy, which can inhibit habilitation in language and social function. In this paper, we hypothesize that aggressive behaviors and epilepsy more commonly develop in patients with ASD-R than in those without a history of regression (ASD-NR). We conducted a retrospective review of non-syndromic patients with ASD over 12 years of age and compared the rates of epilepsy and aggression between ASD-R and ASD-NR patients. Patients with ASD-R, as compared to ASD-NR patients, demonstrated non-significantly higher rates of epilepsy (51.8% vs. 38.1%, p = 0.1335) and aggressive behaviors (73.2% vs. 57.1%, p = 0.0673) when evaluated separately. The rates for combined epilepsy and aggression, however, were statistically significant when comparing ASD-R versus ASD patients (44.5% vs. 23.8%, p = 0.0163). These results suggest that epilepsy with aggression is more common in ASD-R as compared to ASD-NR patients. When considering the impact of epilepsy and aggression on quality of life, these co-morbidities effectively cause a second regression in patients who experienced an earlier regression as toddlers. A larger, prospective trial is recommended to confirm these associations and further define the timeline in which these characteristics develop from early childhood to adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Gaitanis
- Hasbro Children's Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Duyu Nie
- Hasbro Children's Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Tao Hou
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Richard Frye
- Autism Discovery and Treatment Foundation, Phoenix, AZ 85050, USA
- Rossignol Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85050, USA
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Wolf P. Has stigma changed? The image of epilepsy in literature. An essay. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 137:108921. [PMID: 36283291 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Stigma is perhaps the most important sociopsychological burden for people with epilepsy (PWE), and literature both reflects and influences societal attitudes including stigma. To study how representations of stigma have changed over time could provide interesting insights. Traditionally, often repeated stigmatizing aspects include possession, insanity and crime, the weak, dependent and miserable epileptic, unfitness for marriage and reproduction, unreliability, but also special gifts. Many works present characters with epilepsy as inferior, outsiders, or misers. Recently, however, changes became apparent. First, several books addressed and criticized stigmatization of PWE. This was followed by works with positive characters, even role models, both women and men. They are independent, competent, sexually active, and attractive. Some indulge in sports, arts, or advanced technologies. Several are based on first-hand knowledge of people with epilepsy, and some belong to the field of autofiction. Optimistic literary categories like romance or coming-of-age are increasingly met, often with a first-person narrator. Whereas traditional epilepsy metaphors often indicate vulnerability, emotional instability, and weirdness, newer literature increasingly uses electricity metaphors. These represent power, excitement, and modernity. Another frequent new destigmatizing feature are olfactory auras that create a positive atmosphere. Along with comparable destigmatizing features in present popular music, recent developments in literature may represent a parallel to an emerging change in public opinions on epilepsy to which they could contribute an emotional dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Wolf
- Danish Epilepsy Centre Filadelfia, Dianalund, Denmark; Postgraduation Programme in Clinical Medicine, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinic of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Lithuania.
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5
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Shadakshari D, Vajawat B, Malathesh BC, Damodharan D, Gowda GS, Seshagiri D V, Kumar CN, Math SB. The Interface of Clinical, Legal, and Rehabilitative Aspects of Patients With a Neuropsychiatric Disorder in Forensic Psychiatry Setting in India: A Systematic Approach. Indian J Psychol Med 2022; 44:607-611. [PMID: 36339692 PMCID: PMC9615444 DOI: 10.1177/02537176211008564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Darshan Shadakshari
- Dept. of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Bhavika Vajawat
- Dept. of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Barikar C Malathesh
- Dept. of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Dinakaran Damodharan
- Dept. of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Guru S Gowda
- Dept. of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Seshagiri D V
- Dept. of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Suresh Bada Math
- Dept. of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Kopelman MD. Automatism: Are we throwing the baby out with the bathwater? MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2022; 62:245-247. [PMID: 35726186 PMCID: PMC9537447 DOI: 10.1177/00258024221108554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Kopelman
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology
& Neuroscience, London, UK
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7
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Mistler LA, Friedman MJ. Instruments for Measuring Violence on Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Units: Review and Recommendations. Psychiatr Serv 2022; 73:650-657. [PMID: 34521209 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Violence by patients against inpatient psychiatric unit staff is common, causing considerable suffering. Despite the Joint Commission's 2018 requirement for behavioral health organizations to use standardized instruments, no identified gold standard measures of violence and aggression exist. Therefore, accurate data are lacking on the frequency of patient-to-staff violence to guide development of safer institutional clinical policies or to assess the impact of targeted interventions to reduce violence. To inform recommendations for developing standardized scales, the authors reviewed the scoring instruments most commonly used to measure violence in recent studies. METHODS A comprehensive literature search for violence measurement instruments in articles published in English from June 2008 to June 2018 was performed. Review criteria included use of instruments measuring patient-to-staff violence or aggression in acute, nonforensic, nongeriatric populations. Exclusion criteria included child or adolescent populations, staff-to-staff violence, and staff- or visitor-to-patient violence. RESULTS Overall, 74 studies were identified, of which 74% used structured instruments to measure aggression and violence on inpatient psychiatric units during the past 10 years. The instruments were primarily variants of the Observed Aggression Scale (OAS); 26% of the studies used unstructured clinical notes and researcher questionnaires. Major obstacles to implementing measurement instruments included time and workflow constraints and difficulties with use. CONCLUSIONS In the past 10 years, OAS variants with evidence of validity and reliability that define aggression and violence have been consistently used. The authors propose that adapting the Modified OAS to collect real-time clinical data could help overcome barriers to implementing standardized instruments to quantify violence against psychiatric staff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Mistler
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (Mistler, Friedman); New Hampshire Hospital, Concord (Mistler); National Center for PTSD, White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont (Friedman)
| | - Matthew J Friedman
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (Mistler, Friedman); New Hampshire Hospital, Concord (Mistler); National Center for PTSD, White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont (Friedman)
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8
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Kanth KM, Zimmerman CS, Toprani SC, Seyal M. Duration of postictal impaired awareness after bilateral tonic-clonic seizures: EEG and patient characteristics. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 128:108576. [PMID: 35123240 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ictal and postictal phenomena that may impact the duration of postictal impaired awareness have not been well studied. Postictal unresponsiveness invariably occurs following bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (BTCS). Bilateral tonic-clonic seizures are a major risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). We quantify the effects of seizure characteristics on postictal recovery of awareness following BTCS. Factors include: the total seizure duration, the duration of the tonic phase of a BTCS, presence of postictal generalized EEG suppression (PGES), duration of postictal tonic electromyographic discharge, peri-ictal respiratory dysfunction, patient age, duration of epilepsy, and gender. METHODS Fifty-eight patients admitted to the epilepsy monitoring unit with BTCS were studied. Forty-one had unilateral onset temporal seizures. The remainder had bitemporal onsets, extratemporal onsets, undetermined onsets, or were generalized at onset. Following the first BTCS, time to initial recovery of awareness and its possible association with patient and seizure characteristics as well as peri-ictal respiratory dysfunction were evaluated. The presence or absence of postictal agitation was noted. RESULTS The severity of respiratory dysfunction and seizure characteristics were not associated with time to initial recovery of awareness. A shorter time to recovery of awareness was significantly associated with a younger age (p = 0.007). Postictal agitation was more common in males (p = 0.023). SIGNIFICANCE Focal seizures may impair awareness by active inhibition of subcortical arousal mechanisms. Focal seizures progressing to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (BTCS) result in further widespread cerebral dysfunction impacting postictal awareness. MRI studies show accelerated brain aging in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Our findings suggest that patient age, as a surrogate marker for the lifetime burden of seizures, results in a progressive worsening in time to recovery after BTCS by an increasing negative impact on networks involved in arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran M Kanth
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, United States
| | | | - Sheela C Toprani
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - Masud Seyal
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, United States.
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Gyimesi J. Epilepsy, violence, and crime. A historical analysis. JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 2022; 58:42-58. [PMID: 34289120 DOI: 10.1002/jhbs.22117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the 19th and early 20th century, epilepsy was one of the most investigated disorders in forensic psychiatry and psychology. The possible subsidiary symptoms of epilepsy (such as temporal confusion, alterations of consciousness, or increased aggression) played pivotal roles in early forensic and criminal psychological theories that aimed to underscore the problematic medical, social and legal status of epileptic criminals. These criminals were considered extremely violent and capable of committing sudden, brutal acts. Although the theory of "epileptic criminality" was refuted due to 20th-century developments in medicine, forensic psychiatry, and criminal psychology, some suppositions related to the concept of epileptic personality have lingered. This paper explores the lasting influence of the theory of epileptic personality by examining the evolution of the theories of epileptic criminality both in the international and the Hungarian context. Specifically, it calls attention to the twentieth-century revival of the theory of epileptic personality in the works of Leopold Szondi, István Benedek and Norman Geschwind. The paper shows that the issue of epileptic personality still lingers in neuropsychology. In doing so, biological reductionist trends in medical-psychological thinking are traced, and attention is drawn to questions that arise due to changing cultural and medical representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Gyimesi
- Department of Personality and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
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Freund B, Tatum WO. Pitfalls using smartphones videos in diagnosing functional seizures. Epilepsy Behav Rep 2021; 16:100497. [PMID: 34927041 PMCID: PMC8646964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Expert review of seizure semiology looking at video recordings independent of EEG has been found to be useful for diagnosing functional seizures. Videos recorded outside the hospital containing "spells" have similar sensitivity to EEG when quality recordings are evaluated. Recently, smartphone videos were shown to serve as an adjunct to standard history and physical examination with similar diagnostic yields when compared to diagnostic video-EEG monitoring and reviewed by experts. However, caution must be exercised when interpreting videos of paroxysmal neurological events recorded by caregivers to ensure proper video quality is maintained and recorded event is representative. In this report, we present a case of initial identification of and event falsely suggesting functional seizures in a patient with epilepsy. The smartphone video of a "seizure" was recorded by his wife using her smartphone. Despite a quality recording and a history consistent with epilepsy, the smartphone video reviewed during evaluation in the clinic suggested a functional behavior in contrast to the history that suggested epilepsy manifest as convulsions. Instead of bilateral tonic-clonic motor movements, bizarre, intermittent non-clonic wild flinging movements and vocalization were identified on the smartphone video. The discordance between the clnical history and ideo prompted inpatient video-EEG monitoring. The same nonepileptic semiology was subsequently clarified to represent a physiological nonepileptic event. The event on the smartphone was typical of his agitated post-ictal state following an electroclinical tonic-clonic seizure. With treatment the seizures became controlled with antiseizure medication in long-term follow-up. We highlight the pitfalls using patient-recorded smartphone videos in patients diagnosed with epilepsy. Understanding the utility of smartphones as an adjunct to the clinical history will help in differentiating epileptic from functional seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brin Freund
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, United States
| | - William O. Tatum
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, United States
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Takeda K, Yamashita S, Taniguchi G, Kuramochi I, Murakami M, Kashiwagi H, Hashimoto R, Hirabayashi N, Okada T. Criminal victimization of people with epilepsy: Sixteen criminal judgments in Japan between 1990 and 2019. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 118:107912. [PMID: 33744796 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Criminal behavior by people with epilepsy (PWE) has often been discussed. However, there are limited studies on criminal victimization of PWE-in particular, how such victimizations occur. We identified criminal cases involving victims with epilepsy using databases containing criminal judgments and found 16 such cases between 1990 and 2019. Seven were homicide cases, including four filicide cases. In the four filicide cases, all the perpetrators had the intention of homicide-suicide; all the victims had intellectual disabilities or cerebral palsy; two of these victims had acted violently toward the family; and two mothers who perpetrated the crime against the victims had depression. It seemed that the comorbidities and problem behaviors of the victims were more strongly related to serious crimes by family caregivers than the epilepsy itself. To prevent victimization caused by family caregivers, reducing their stress levels is important. Defendants sometimes argued against objective evidence of a crime, claiming that epileptic seizure of PWE caused or was related to the death of victims. Legal and medical professionals involved in determining the manner of death need careful evaluation when sudden deaths of PWE occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Takeda
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Section of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan.
| | - Shingo Yamashita
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Go Taniguchi
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Izumi Kuramochi
- Department of Psychiatry, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-0844, Japan
| | - Maki Murakami
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Hiroko Kashiwagi
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan
| | - Ryota Hashimoto
- Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan
| | - Naotsugu Hirabayashi
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Takayuki Okada
- Section of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
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Denton A, Tellez-Zenteno JF. A patient with epilepsy charged with kidnapping, unlawful confinement, and assault causing bodily harm after seizures: Deficiencies in the legal system. Epilepsy Behav Rep 2020; 13:100361. [PMID: 32280943 PMCID: PMC7139163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2020.100361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the rare case of a 34-year-old right-handed male who had drug-resistant epilepsy associated with a frontal cavernoma since the age of 13 who was convicted of criminal charges related to seizures. When he was 32 years old, he had a focal seizure with impaired awareness and then he tried to grab a 7-year-old girl who was in a car coming out from a dance class. He was arrested and taken to the police station. Later that day, the patient was being interrogated by a police officer when he had a hypermotor seizure at the end of the interview. He punched the policeman leading to multiple charges laid, including kidnapping, unlawful confinement, and assault causing bodily harm. He remained in jail for the next year and a half. During this time, he had epilepsy surgery for resection of the cavernoma. The patient was rendered seizure-free after resection of the cavernoma for one-year. Due to the occurrence of seizures before the alleged “kidnapping” and based upon his interview with the policeman, the patient was acquitted from all legal charges. We review available cases of non-homicidal criminality with a legal outcome in this article. The association of criminal acts and epileptic seizures is an uncommon event and not commonly reported in the literature The notion that epileptic seizures and criminality dates back at least as far as the late nineteenth century There is an urgent need for more systematic and detailed descriptions between epileptic seizures and criminal acts We report a detailed description of a patient who was criminally charged after seizures with complete exoneration
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Denton
- Saskatchewan Epilepsy Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jose F Tellez-Zenteno
- Saskatchewan Epilepsy Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Menghi V, Bisulli F, Tinuper P, Nobili L. Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy: prevalence, impact and management strategies. Nat Sci Sleep 2018; 10:317-326. [PMID: 30349413 PMCID: PMC6186898 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s152624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE), previously called nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE), is a focal epilepsy characterized by asymmetric tonic/dystonic posturing and/or complex hyperkinetic seizures occurring mostly during sleep. SHE fulfills the definition of rare disease with an estimated minimum prevalence of 1.8/100,000 individuals, and it represents about 10% of drug-resistant surgical cases. Although SHE and autosomal-dominant SHE (ADSHE) have been considered benign epileptic conditions for a long time, emerging data have shed light on the severity of this disorder and some peculiar features can impact negatively on the quality of life of SHE patients. In fact, seizure frequency can be very high, resulting in nocturnal sleep fragmentation with possible diurnal consequences such as excessive sleepiness and fatigue. Moreover, recent studies, adopting a systematic neuropsychological assessment, have shown deficits in memory, executive functions and visuo-spatial abilities in almost half of SHE patients. Intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disorders have also been reported in some genetic forms. SHE may also exert a negative effect on health-related quality of life, especially in domains pertaining to a patient's role in the family, social context and patient's illness experience. Despite a good response to pharmacological treatment, especially with carbamazepine, 30% of SHE patients suffer from drug-resistant seizures. Finally, recent studies suggest a poor prognosis in a high percentage of SHE patients with a 20.4% cumulative probability of achieving terminal remission at 10 years from onset. For selected drug-resistant SHE patients, epilepsy surgery is the only treatment offering high probability of recovery, both for seizures and for epilepsy-related sleep alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Menghi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Bisulli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Tinuper
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lino Nobili
- "Claudio Munari" Center for Epilepsy Surgery, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy, .,Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), IRCCS, Giannina Gaslini Institute, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy,
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14
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Kutlubaev MA, Mendelevich VD. The problem of aggressive behavior in epilepsy: clinical and neurobiological aspects. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2018; 118:94-100. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20181187194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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15
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Haba-Rubio J, Frauscher B, Marques-Vidal P, Toriel J, Tobback N, Andries D, Preisig M, Vollenweider P, Postuma R, Heinzer R. Prevalence and determinants of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in the general population. Sleep 2017; 41:4690595. [PMID: 29216391 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsx197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia associated with neurodegenerative synucleinopathies. Its prevalence is largely unknown. This study determined the prevalence and characteristics of RBD in the general population using gold-standard polysomnography. METHODS Full polysomnographic data from 1,997 participants (age = 59 ± 11.1 years, 53.6% women) participating in a population-based study (HypnoLaus, Lausanne, Switzerland) were collected. Sleep-related complaints and habits were investigated using various sleep measures including the Munich Parasomnia Screening (MUPS) questionnaire, which includes two questions evaluating complex motor behaviors suggestive of RBD. Full polysomnography was performed at home. For participants screening positive for RBD, muscle activity during REM sleep was quantified to diagnose RBD. RESULTS Three hundred sixty-eight participants endorsed dream-enactment behavior on either of the two MUPS questions, and 21 fulfilled polysomnographic criteria for RBD, resulting in an estimated prevalence of 1.06% (95% CI = 0.61-1.50), with no difference between men and women. Compared with RBD- participants, RBD+ took more frequently antidepressants and antipsychotics (23.8% vs. 5.4%, p = .005; 14.3% vs. 1.5%, p = .004, respectively) and were more frequently smokers or ex-smokers (85% vs. 56.6%, p = .011). On polysomnography, RBD+ had more stage N2 sleep (52 ± 11.5% vs. 46.3 ± 10.2%, p = .024) and less REM sleep (18 ± 6.4% vs. 21.9 ± 6.2%, p = .007), lower apnea-hypopnea index in REM sleep (3.8 ± 5.2 vs. 8.9 ± 13/hour, p = .035), and lower autonomic arousal index (31 ± 14.9 vs. 42.6 ± 19.5/hour, p = .002). CONCLUSIONS In our middle-to-older age population-based sample, the prevalence of RBD was 1.06%, with no difference between men and women. RBD was associated with antidepressant and antipsychotic use and with minor differences in sleep structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Haba-Rubio
- Center for Investigation and Research in Sleep (CIRS), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Frauscher
- Department of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pedro Marques-Vidal
- Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerl
| | - Jérôme Toriel
- Center for Investigation and Research in Sleep (CIRS), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Tobback
- Center for Investigation and Research in Sleep (CIRS), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Andries
- Center for Investigation and Research in Sleep (CIRS), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martin Preisig
- Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter Vollenweider
- Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerl
| | - Ronald Postuma
- Department of Neurology, Montreal General Hospital, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Raphaël Heinzer
- Center for Investigation and Research in Sleep (CIRS), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Kuhar M, Fatović-Ferenčić S. 'They accused me of strangling her': epilepsy and violence debate in Croatia at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries. HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY 2017; 28:460-472. [PMID: 28701052 DOI: 10.1177/0957154x17719174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Nineteenth-century psychiatry shifted its focus to the brain as the seat of mental disorders. With a new understanding of mental disorders arose the need to consult forensic psychiatrists in cases of criminal acts committed by persons with mental illness. This article focuses on three murders committed by 'epileptics' at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries in Croatia. An analysis of these cases will help to situate forensic psychiatry at the turn of the century within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and reveal the authority that forensic experts wielded in the courts. We will argue that Cesare Lombroso's biological theory of crime, as well as the influence of eugenicists and pharmaceutical companies, shaped the long-standing relationship between epilepsy and violent behaviour.
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17
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Gulrajani C. Epilepsy in the Courtroom. Psychiatr Ann 2017. [DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20171113-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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18
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Brodie MJ, Besag F, Ettinger AB, Mula M, Gobbi G, Comai S, Aldenkamp AP, Steinhoff BJ. Epilepsy, Antiepileptic Drugs, and Aggression: An Evidence-Based Review. Pharmacol Rev 2017; 68:563-602. [PMID: 27255267 PMCID: PMC4931873 DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.012021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have many benefits but also many side effects, including aggression, agitation, and irritability, in some patients with epilepsy. This article offers a comprehensive summary of current understanding of aggressive behaviors in patients with epilepsy, including an evidence-based review of aggression during AED treatment. Aggression is seen in a minority of people with epilepsy. It is rarely seizure related but is interictal, sometimes occurring as part of complex psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities, and it is sometimes associated with AED treatment. We review the common neurotransmitter systems and brain regions implicated in both epilepsy and aggression, including the GABA, glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline systems and the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and temporal lobes. Few controlled clinical studies have used behavioral measures to specifically examine aggression with AEDs, and most evidence comes from adverse event reporting from clinical and observational studies. A systematic approach was used to identify relevant publications, and we present a comprehensive, evidence-based summary of available data surrounding aggression-related behaviors with each of the currently available AEDs in both adults and in children/adolescents with epilepsy. A psychiatric history and history of a propensity toward aggression/anger should routinely be sought from patients, family members, and carers; its presence does not preclude the use of any specific AEDs, but those most likely to be implicated in these behaviors should be used with caution in such cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Brodie
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Frank Besag
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Alan B Ettinger
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Marco Mula
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Gabriella Gobbi
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Stefano Comai
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Albert P Aldenkamp
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
| | - Bernhard J Steinhoff
- Epilepsy Unit, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital-Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland (M.J.B.); East London National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bedford, United Kingdom (F.B.); University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom (F.B.); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York (A.B.E.); Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom (M.M.); Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (G.G., S.C.); Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy (S.C.); Epilepsy Centre Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands (A.P.A.); and Kork Epilepsy Centre, Kehl-Kork, Germany (B.J.S.)
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19
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Treatment issues for children with epilepsy transitioning to adult care. Epilepsy Behav 2017; 69:153-160. [PMID: 28188045 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This is the third of three papers that summarize the second symposium on Transition in Epilepsies held in Paris in June 2016. This paper focuses on treatment issues that arise during the course of childhood epilepsy and make the process of transition to adult care more complicated. Some AEDs used during childhood, such as stiripentol, vigabatrin, and cannabidiol, are unfamiliar to adult epilepsy specialists. In addition, new drugs are being developed for treatment of specific childhood onset epilepsy syndromes and have no indication yet for adults. The ketogenic diet may be effective during childhood but is difficult to continue in adult care. Regional adult epilepsy diet clinics could be helpful. Polytherapy is common for patients transitioning to adult care. Although these complex AED regimes are difficult, they are often possible to simplify. AEDs used in childhood may need to be reconsidered in adulthood. Rescue medications to stop prolonged seizures and clusters of seizures are in wide home use in children and can be continued in adulthood. Adherence/compliance is notoriously difficult for adolescents, but there are simple clinical approaches that should be helpful. Mental health issues including depression and anxiety are not always diagnosed and treated in children and young adults even though effective treatments are available. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and aggressive behavior disorders may interfere with transition and successful adulthood but these can be treated. For the majority, the adult social outcome of children with epilepsy is unsatisfactory with few proven interventions. The interface between pediatric and adult care for children with epilepsy is becoming increasingly complicated with a need for more comprehensive transition programs and adult epileptologists who are knowledgeable about special treatments that benefit this group of patients.
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Rao G, Mashkouri S, Aum D, Marcet P, Borlongan CV. Contemplating stem cell therapy for epilepsy-induced neuropsychiatric symptoms. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2017; 13:585-596. [PMID: 28260906 PMCID: PMC5328607 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s114786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a debilitating disease that impacts millions of people worldwide. While unprovoked seizures characterize its cardinal symptom, an important aspect of epilepsy that remains to be addressed is the neuropsychiatric component. It has been documented for millennia in paintings and literature that those with epilepsy can suffer from bouts of aggression, depression, and other psychiatric ailments. Current treatments for epilepsy include the use of antiepileptic drugs and surgical resection. Antiepileptic drugs reduce the overall firing of the brain to mitigate the rate of seizure occurrence. Surgery aims to remove a portion of the brain that is suspected to be the source of aberrant firing that leads to seizures. Both options treat the seizure-generating neurological aspect of epilepsy, but fail to directly address the neuropsychiatric components. A promising new treatment for epilepsy is the use of stem cells to treat both the biological and psychiatric components. Stem cell therapy has been shown efficacious in treating experimental models of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, and neuropsychiatric diseases, such as depression. Additional research is necessary to see if stem cells can treat both neurological and neuropsychiatric aspects of epilepsy. Currently, there is no animal model that recapitulates all the clinical hallmarks of epilepsy. This could be due to difficulty in characterizing the neuropsychiatric component of the disease. In advancing stem cell therapy for treating epilepsy, experimental testing of the safety and efficacy of allogeneic and autologous transplantation will require the optimization of cell dosage, delivery, and timing of transplantation in a clinically relevant model of epilepsy with both neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms of the disease as the primary outcome measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gautam Rao
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sherwin Mashkouri
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David Aum
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Paul Marcet
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Cesar V Borlongan
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
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Cipriani G, Lucetti C, Danti S, Carlesi C, Nuti A. Violent and criminal manifestations in dementia patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 16:541-9. [DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudio Lucetti
- Neurology Unit; Versilia Hospital; Lido di Camaiore Lucca Italy
| | - Sabrina Danti
- Neurology Unit; Versilia Hospital; Lido di Camaiore Lucca Italy
| | - Cecilia Carlesi
- Neurology Unit; Versilia Hospital; Lido di Camaiore Lucca Italy
| | - Angelo Nuti
- Neurology Unit; Versilia Hospital; Lido di Camaiore Lucca Italy
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22
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Rektor I, Schachter SC, Arya R, Arzy S, Braakman H, Brodie MJ, Brugger P, Chang BS, Guekht A, Hermann B, Hesdorffer DC, Jones-Gotman M, Kanner AM, Garcia-Larrea L, Mareš P, Mula M, Neufeld M, Risse GL, Ryvlin P, Seeck M, Tomson T, Korczyn AD. Third International Congress on Epilepsy, Brain, and Mind: Part 2. Epilepsy Behav 2015; 50:138-59. [PMID: 26264466 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is both a disease of the brain and the mind. Here, we present the second of two papers with extended summaries of selected presentations of the Third International Congress on Epilepsy, Brain and Mind (April 3-5, 2014; Brno, Czech Republic). Humanistic, biologic, and therapeutic aspects of epilepsy, particularly those related to the mind, were discussed. The extended summaries provide current overviews of epilepsy, cognitive impairment, and treatment, including brain functional connectivity and functional organization; juvenile myoclonic epilepsy; cognitive problems in newly diagnosed epilepsy; SUDEP including studies on prevention and involvement of the serotoninergic system; aggression and antiepileptic drugs; body, mind, and brain, including pain, orientation, the "self-location", Gourmand syndrome, and obesity; euphoria, obsessions, and compulsions; and circumstantiality and psychiatric comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Rektor
- Masaryk University, Brno Epilepsy Center, St. Anne's Hospital and School of Medicine and Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Steven C Schachter
- Consortia for Improving Medicine with Innovation and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ravindra Arya
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Shahar Arzy
- Department of Neurology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; The Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hilde Braakman
- Academic Center for Epileptology, Kempenhaeghe & Maastricht UMC, Sterkselseweg 65, 5591 VE Heeze, The Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Brugger
- Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernard S Chang
- Departments of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alla Guekht
- Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Bruce Hermann
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Dale C Hesdorffer
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, NY, USA
| | - Marilyn Jones-Gotman
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Andres M Kanner
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Luis Garcia-Larrea
- NeuroPain Lab, Centre for Neuroscience of Lyon, Inserm U1028, Hôpital Neurologique, 59Bd Pinel 69003 Lyon, France
| | - Pavel Mareš
- Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marco Mula
- Epilepsy Group, Atkinson Morley Regional Neuroscience Centre, St George's Hospital & Institute of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Miri Neufeld
- EEG and Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurology, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Philippe Ryvlin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland; TIGER, Lyon's Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS5292 Lyon, France
| | - Margitta Seeck
- Neurology Service, Hòpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Torbjörn Tomson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amos D Korczyn
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel
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23
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Gauffin H, Landtblom AM. Epilepsy and violence: case series concerning physical trauma in children of persons with epilepsy. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2014; 10:2183-9. [PMID: 25484586 PMCID: PMC4238791 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s68438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Historically, epilepsy has been associated with violence, but more recent studies have emphasized genetic and psychosocial factors as more important. The case series presented here aim to highlight the difficult situation the affected children are in. We report on three cases when children have been traumatized and, in one case, even been killed by their parent who was diagnosed with epilepsy. In the first case, we describe a woman with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy who was sentenced to forensic psychiatry care for killing her child. She lived under difficult psychosocial circumstances and a suicide attempt contributed to what happened. The second case describes a man with post-traumatic seizures who was sentenced for child abuse. Ictal or postictal violence was considered in these two cases but a causal link between the violence and epilepsy has not been established. In the third case, we describe a woman with focal epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNESs). Her child was hurt and frightened in relation to violent seizures, which were regarded as PNESs. This case series demonstrates that children of parents with epilepsy can be in a vulnerable situation. No causality has been established between the seizures and these events, so consequently other factors such as psychosocial stress, low cognitive function, and a suicide attempt must also be considered as important. When a child is hurt by a parent with epilepsy the patient must be closely examined to determine the role of the seizures. Children can also be affected by PNESs. It is essential to notice especially those children of parents with epilepsy who live under difficult psychosocial circumstances and offer extra support when necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Gauffin
- Department of Neurology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anne-Marie Landtblom
- Department of Neurology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden ; Neurology Unit, Department of Medical Specialist, General Hospital, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, IMM, County Council, Linköping University, Motala, Sweden ; Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Abstract
In epilepsy, experiential phenomena and behavioral manifestations may pose a number of problems in terms of differential diagnosis. From a clinical point of view, ictal psychiatric symptoms represent partial seizures, mainly partial ones. In the majority of cases, they are very brief (lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes), stereotyped, out of context, and frequently associated with subtle or overt automatisms and postictal confusion of variable duration. In some cases, such symptoms are followed by alteration of consciousness as the ictus evolves to a complex partial seizure or a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. This paper reviews clinically relevant behavioral patterns during seizures discussing clinical phenomenology and relevance in terms of lateralizing value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mula
- Division of Neurology, Trinity Hospital, Borgomanero, Italy.
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25
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Rektor I, Schachter SC, Arzy S, Baloyannis SJ, Bazil C, Brázdil M, Engel J, Helmstaedter G, Hesdorffer DC, Jones-Gotman M, Kesner L, Komárek V, Krämer G, Leppik IE, Mann MW, Mula M, Risse GL, Stoker GW, Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité DGA, Trimble M, Tyrliková I, Korczyn AD. Epilepsy, behavior, and art (Epilepsy, Brain, and Mind, part 1). Epilepsy Behav 2013; 28:261-82. [PMID: 23764495 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is both a disease of the brain and the mind. Brain diseases, structural and/or functional, underlie the appearance of epilepsy, but the notion of epilepsy is larger and cannot be reduced exclusively to the brain. We can therefore look at epilepsy from two angles. The first perspective is intrinsic: the etiology and pathophysiology, problems of therapy, impact on the brain networks, and the "mind" aspects of brain functions - cognitive, emotional, and affective. The second perspective is extrinsic: the social interactions of the person with epilepsy, the influence of the surrounding environment, and the influences of epilepsy on society. All these aspects reaching far beyond the pure biological nature of epilepsy have been the topics of two International Congresses of Epilepsy, Brain, and Mind that were held in Prague, Czech Republic, in 2010 and 2012 (the third Congress will be held in Brno, Czech Republic on April 3-5, 2014; www.epilepsy-brain-mind2014.eu). Here, we present the first of two papers with extended summaries of selected presentations of the 2012 Congress that focused on epilepsy, behavior, and art.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Rektor
- Masaryk University, Brno Epilepsy Center, St. Anne's Hospital and School of Medicine, and Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Brno, Czech Republic
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Acute postictal confusion and violence: Two cases with unfortunate outcomes. EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR CASE REPORTS 2013; 1:71-3. [PMID: 25667832 PMCID: PMC4150615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebcr.2013.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Revised: 04/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) often have a brief postictal state characterized by confusion and disorientation. Less common postictal behaviors include wandering and violence - both reactive and spontaneous. We describe two male patients with left TLE and unusual postictal states that led to unfortunate outcomes. The first patient's postictal state included an intense urge to peregrinate, as well as reactive violence. When a frightened houseguest prevented the patient from exiting his bedroom during a postictal state, the patient climbed out the window and fell to his death. The second patient's postictal state included menacing posturing, loud exclamation of guttural sounds or profanities, clapping or smacking his hands together, and punching nearby objects. During a postictal state at home, he grabbed a bat and destroyed furnishings. After he had two seizures at work followed by his typical postictal state, he was dismissed because of his perceived threat to coworkers.
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Abstract
The relationships between biological rhythms and human aggressive behavior are addressed and discussed in this article: First, circadian rhythms and aggression are considered. Studies of sleep/waking cycle disturbances in aggression are reported. Severe aggression is associated with profound changes in sleep architecture. Causal link is difficult to establish given that sleep disturbance and aggressive behavior could be the symptoms of the same disorder. Specific aggressive behavior developed during sleep is also described. In addition, hormonal circadian rhythm studies are reported. Thus, low cortisol levels, in particular low cortisol variability, are associated with aggressive behavior, suggesting an inhibitory role of cortisol. Testosterone has daily and seasonal fluctuations, but no link with aggression has been established. Neurophysiological underlying mechanisms are discussed in the last part of this article, with a focus on the relationship between brain rhythm and aggression. Increase of slow-wave EEG activities is observed in individuals with aggressive behavior. Epilepsy, as a disease of brain rhythm could be associated with aggressive behavior, in pre, post and inter ictal periodes. Incidence of aggression is not likely more prevalent in epileptic individuals compared to those with other neurological conditions. Ictal changes take the form of profound behavioral changes, including aggressive behavior which has been interpreted as the emergence of "archeical" or innate motor patterns. In this multidisciplinary approach, the main difficulty is the categorization of the differents types of aggression. Finally, taken together, these studies suggest that biological rhythms, especially circadian rhythms, could provide therapeutic benefits to human aggressive behavior. Biological rhythymicity seems to be a necessary permanent training offering interesting perspectives for the adaptation to changes in the field of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Trimble
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery; Queen Square; London; United Kingdom
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Piazzini A, Bravi F, Edefonti V, Turner K, Vignoli A, Ferraroni M, Canevini MP. Aggressive behavior and epilepsy: A multicenter study. Epilepsia 2012; 53:e174-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2012.03643.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Tassinari CA, Gardella E, Cantalupo G, Rubboli G. Relationship of Central Pattern Generators with Parasomnias and Sleep-Related Epileptic Seizures. Sleep Med Clin 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2012.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Deriaz N, Willi JP, Orihuela-Flores M, Galli Carminati G, Ratib O. Treatment with levetiracetam in a patient with pervasive developmental disorders, severe intellectual disability, self-injurious behavior, and seizures: a case report. Neurocase 2012; 18:386-91. [PMID: 22059937 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2011.627336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Pervasive developmental disorder is characterized by various symptoms that often include self-injurious behavior (SIB). Episodes of SIB occur in the context of high emotional arousal, anger, or fear and may be related to epilepsy. We report the case of a 20-year-old man with pervasive developmental disorder presenting with SIB non-responsive to antipsychotic medication. Positron emission tomography showed a right temporoparietal hypometabolic focal lesion suggestive of an epileptic focus. Two weeks after initiation of levetiracetam (Keppra®), SIB disappeared, without recurrence 24 months later. Levetiracetam (Keppra®) may be beneficial for such patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Deriaz
- Department of Psychiatry, Mental Development Psychiatric Unit, Service of Adult Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Abstract
Jan Volavka discusses new research by Seena Fazel and colleagues that reports increased risk for violent crime among people with traumatic brain injury and epilepsy.
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Kapsali F, Rabavilas AD, Michopoulou A, Papadimitriou GN, Papageorgiou C. Aggressive behaviour in schizophrenic patients after abrupt treatment discontinuation. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2011; 15:296-302. [PMID: 22122004 DOI: 10.3109/13651501.2011.589517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This retrospective study examined the demographic, clinical and pharmacological factors associated with aggressive behaviour after abrupt discontinuation of medication in schizophrenic patients. METHOD The study reports on a survey of 402 schizophrenic patients, who had abruptly discontinued their medication and had been involuntarily hospitalized to Psychiatric Hospital of Attika. The survey utilized the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms Checklist (DESS) to assess the signs and symptoms that patients exhibited (Rosenbaum et al., Biol Psychiatry 1998;44:77), as well the Aggression Scale (Delgado-Escueta et al., New England J Med 1981;305:711) to estimate the aggressive behaviour. Demographic and clinical variables as well as variables related to pharmacological treatment have been also investigated. RESULTS Analyses revealed that the presence of aggressive behaviour after abrupt drug discontinuation was associated positively with previous history of aggression, male gender , abrupt discontinuation of anticholinergics, delusions, nervousness or anxiety, elevated mood, irritability and negatively with negative symptoms. These predictors can correctly classify 76.3% of patients with aggressive behaviour and 64.0% of patients without aggressive behaviour. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that abrupt discontinuation of medication in schizophrenic patients may lead to aggressive behaviour, being connected at least in the acute phase with particular demographic, clinical and pharmacological parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Kapsali
- Psychiatric Hospital of Attika, Athens, Greece.
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A new Italian instrument for the assessment of irritability in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2011; 21:275-81. [PMID: 21624849 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2011] [Revised: 04/11/2011] [Accepted: 04/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the work described in this article was to analyze the psychometric properties of a new Italian instrument for the assessment of irritability in adult patients with epilepsy (I-Epi). Five hundred four patients from nine secondary and tertiary Italian centers for the care of epilepsy were recruited and interviewed. Each patient was evaluated on a series of demographic and clinical variables recorded before administration of the I-Epi and the AQ (Aggression Questionnaire), used for external validity. The final results supported the reliability and validity of the I-Epi as a measure of irritability in the adult epilepsy population. The psychometric characteristics of the I-Epi seemed fairly good. We believe that adoption of this new instrument could be very useful in both clinical and research management of patients with epilepsy.
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Kim JM, Chu K, Jung KH, Lee ST, Choi SS, Lee SK. Characteristics of Epilepsy Patients who Committed Violent Crimes: Report from the National Forensic Hospital. J Epilepsy Res 2011; 1:13-8. [PMID: 24649439 PMCID: PMC3952313 DOI: 10.14581/jer.11003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: We investigated the clinical and criminal characteristics of patients with epilepsy who had committed violent crimes in order to understand the mechanism of violence and to prevent future criminal activity. Methods: We reviewed medical and legal reports of criminals with epilepsy who were incarcerated in the Korean National Forensic Hospital between October 2007 and September 2008. Results: Of 761 criminals admitted to the National Forensic Hospital, 17 patients (2.2%) were diagnosed with epilepsy. All of them had localization-related epilepsy, and no patient reported an overt seizure attack around the time of a crime. Psychosis was present in eight patients, and seven patients were in a drunken state at the time of the crimes. There was a positive correlation between the patients’ age at their first crime and their intelligence quotient score. Conclusions: These results suggest that most violent crimes take place during interictal periods, and diverse medical conditions, including inebriation, psychosis, and low intelligence, are associated with violent crimes among epileptic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Min Kim
- Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea ; Departments of Neurology, National Forensic Hospital, Ministry of Justice, Gongju, Korea
| | - Kon Chu
- Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Keun-Hwa Jung
- Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Soon-Tae Lee
- Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang-Sub Choi
- Psychiatry, National Forensic Hospital, Ministry of Justice, Gongju, Korea
| | - Sang Kun Lee
- Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
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Siclari F, Khatami R, Urbaniok F, Nobili L, Mahowald MW, Schenck CH, Cramer Bornemann MA, Bassetti CL. Violence in sleep. Brain 2010; 133:3494-509. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awq296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Kanemoto K, Tadokoro Y, Oshima T. Violence and postictal psychosis: a comparison of postictal psychosis, interictal psychosis, and postictal confusion. Epilepsy Behav 2010; 19:162-6. [PMID: 20727827 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2010] [Accepted: 06/17/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The belief that epilepsy is linked with violent behavior acquired a highly stigmatizing value in the late 19th century on the basis of degenerative theory. This widespread medical view lost general acceptance among experts in the 1990s after several large-scale studies showed that aggressive phenomena can arise during epileptic seizures, but are extremely rare. The concept of postictal psychosis (PIP) shed a new light on this old dispute. With this concept, the significance of the chronological relationship between seizures and violent behaviors in patients with epilepsy is newly stressed, which made a simple "yes" or "no" answer to the question implausible. In this review, we discuss violent behaviors at five chronological points relative to seizures and demonstrate representative cases. As shown in our previous study, well-directed violent attacks occurred during 22.8% of the PIP episodes, 4.8% of the IIP episodes, and 0.7% of the postictal confusions. Compared with the other two situations, proneness to violence stood out in the PIP episodes. Suicidal attempts showed a similar trend. Purposeful, organized violence as a direct manifestation of seizures or ictal automatism is highly exceptional. Violent acts could occur in postictal confusion as an expression of unconscious, vigorous resistance against efforts of surrounding people to prevent the affected individual from roaming or fumbling about. In contrast, some PIP episodes can be highly alarming, especially if a violent act has been previously committed in preceding episodes. Violent acts by patients with epilepsy should be treated differently according to the various pathophysiological backgrounds from which the violence arises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kousuke Kanemoto
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.
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Abstract
Postictal behaviors and symptoms often require special assessment and treatment. We review risk factors for postictal delirium and psychosis and management of agitated and confused behaviors in patients after seizures. Medical and emergency staff require careful training to manage behaviors associated with postictal delirium and psychosis in order to protect patients while their confusion resolves. Treatment of postictal states requires recognition of underlying neurological and systemic disorders associated with seizures and delirium such as metabolic disorders and nonconvulsive seizures. There is incomplete information about the causes and optimal treatments for seizure-related psychosis, however, postictal behaviors can usually be managed safely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Krauss
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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Kaufman KR, Zuber N, Rueda-Lara MA, Tobia A. MELAS with recurrent complex partial seizures, nonconvulsive status epilepticus, psychosis, and behavioral disturbances: case analysis with literature review. Epilepsy Behav 2010; 18:494-7. [PMID: 20580320 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2009] [Revised: 05/20/2010] [Accepted: 05/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes (MELAS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with polygenetic, maternally inherited, mitochondrial DNA mutations. MELAS has multisystem presentation including neurological, muscular, endocrine, auditory, visual, cardiac, psychiatric, renal, gastrointestinal and dermatological symptoms. Clinical course and prognosis are variable, often leading to cognitive decline, disability, and premature death. Both convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) and nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) are reported with MELAS. This report illustrates a case of MELAS with recurrent complex partial seizures, NCSE, confusion, aggressive behaviors, hallucinations, and paranoid delusions. Rapid video/EEG confirmation of diagnosis and aggressive antiepileptic drug intervention are required. Further education of medical professionals regarding this disorder, its appropriate management, and the significance of NCSE is indicated to avoid delay of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth R Kaufman
- Department of Psychiatry, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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Yiannopoulou KG, Kounenou D, Papageorgiou CC. Possible epileptic origin of symptoms in a case exemplifying the sleeper kind of 'limbic psychotic trigger reaction'. Neurocase 2009; 15:436-44. [PMID: 19484656 DOI: 10.1080/13554790902953800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Limbic psychotic trigger reaction (LPTR) includes paroxysmal, motiveless, unplanned felonies, all committed during flat affect, autonomic arousal and a fleeting de novo psychosis. It is considered as a form of non-convulsive behavioural seizures (NCBS). A transient limbic hyperactivation is probably implicated that impairs prefrontal monitoring but preserves memory for the acts. LPTR may, however, not be limited to felonies which have attracted forensic attention. There may exist many more 'merely' social misbehaviours, undetected and untreated as a 'sleeper' case. This kind of possible undetected LPTR cases, exemplified by a patient who suffers from paroxysmal hallucinations triggering her to attempt to commit infanticide, is presented herein. Our patient had repetitive occurrence of episodes and remission of the symptomatology after the administration of oxcarbazepine, facts that support the epileptic origin of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- K G Yiannopoulou
- Department of Neurology, Laiko General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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41
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Pontius AA. Kindled non-convulsive behavioral seizures, analogous to primates. A 24th case of 'limbic psychotic trigger reaction': bizarre parental infanticide--might nonvoluntariness during LPTR become objectified by primate model? Neurocase 2008; 14:29-43. [PMID: 18569729 DOI: 10.1080/13554790801992750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Limbic psychotic trigger reaction (LPTR) includes paroxysmal, out-of-character, motiveless, unplanned felonies (or similarly bizarre social misbehavior), all committed during flat affect, autonomic arousal and a fleeting de novo psychosis. A transient limbic hyperactivation is implicated that impairs prefrontal monitoring (judgment, planning, intent, volition, emotional participation) but preserves memory for the acts. It is hypothesized that LPTR implicates an atavistic regression to a limbic 'paleo-consciousness', exemplified by a 24th patient (parental infanticide), presented herein. He had closed head injury and borderline abnormal posterior brain pathology (EEG/CT), which might have contributed to his unusually numerous visual hallucinations.
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Reuber M, Mackay RD. Epileptic Automatisms in the Criminal Courts: 13 Cases Tried in England and Wales between 1975 and 2001. Epilepsia 2008; 49:138-45. [PMID: 17727668 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2007.01269.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the relationship of epilepsy and criminal behavior. METHODS Case series based on all criminal cases found "not guilty by reason of insanity" (NGRI) because of epilepsy in England and Wales between 1975 and 2001. Data were extracted from medico-legal reports held by the Mental Health Unit at the Home Office and the Department for Constitutional Affairs in London, UK. RESULTS Thirteen cases were identified, accounting for 7.3% of all verdicts of NGRI. Charges included murder (1), attempted murder (1) assault (7), arson (2), abduction/kidnapping (3), and burglary (1). Of the defendants, 92.3% were male, 76.9% had neuropsychological impairments, 84.6%% had psychiatric comorbidity, 92.3% were unemployed at the time of the offence, and 69.2% had been convicted of criminal offences previously. Eight of 10 defendants treated with antiepileptic drugs were complying poorly with medication. A total of 61.5% offenses were committed in a state of alcohol intoxication. Psychotic symptoms may have been present when the offense was committed in 52.8% of cases. Over two-thirds of offenses probably occurred during the postictal period. CONCLUSIONS This case series suggests that it is exceptional for epileptic seizures to cause criminal acts or omissions. The relatively low standard of proof required means that some of cases found NGRI on account of epilepsy were not actually related to seizures. There were no definite examples of ictal criminal behavior. Most offenses related to seizures are likely to have occurred in the postictal phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Reuber
- Academic Neurology Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
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Abstract
Patients who have epilepsy face many challenges resulting from their illness and have frequent psychiatric comorbidities. Recognition of these disorders is increasing and is having a positive impact on patients' quality of life. Recent recommendations about a new classification system for psychiatric disorders related specifically to epilepsy and based on the relationship of symptoms to seizures, antiepileptic medications, and EEG changes should further research and treatment. Especially insofar psychiatric syndromes specific to epilepsy can be identified, correlation of clinical phenomena with relatively well-understood pathophysiology in epilepsy will allow advances in the understanding of psychiatric illness. This progress should move the treatment of patients who have epilepsy toward a comprehensive biopsychosocial model that focuses on the whole person rather than simply on the disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Marcangelo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
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Kate Collins TB, Camfield PR, Camfield CS, Lee K. People with epilepsy are often perceived as violent. Epilepsy Behav 2007; 10:69-76. [PMID: 17123866 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2006.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2006] [Revised: 10/16/2006] [Accepted: 10/18/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study explores the possibility that people with epilepsy are commonly and persistently perceived as potentially violent during and between seizures. In 1981 and again in 2006, we assessed responses to a questionnaire that includes vignettes and direct questions about violence in epilepsy. Groups sampled were medical and law students, physicians, child care workers, the general public, and people with epilepsy (n=271 in 1981 and n=388 in 2006). Nearly half of the respondents believed that violence was possible or likely during a seizure. Almost all groups answered at least 40% of questions incorrectly; the exception was physicians, who answered 20% incorrectly. Responses were fairly stable over the 25-year interval. Logistic regression revealed few predictors: older responders and physicians had more correct answers, whereas law students had poorer performance. These results indicate that fear of violence at the hands of people with epilepsy is prevalent and may contribute to stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- T B Kate Collins
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre and Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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Tassinari CA, Tassi L, Calandra-Buonaura G, Stanzani-Maserati M, Fini N, Pizza F, Sartori I, Michelucci R, Lo Russo G, Meletti S. Biting behavior, aggression, and seizures. Epilepsia 2005; 46:654-63. [PMID: 15857430 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2005.58404.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To describe the semiologic features of aggressive behaviors observed in human epileptic seizures with particular reference to the act of biting a conspecific. METHODS We analyzed the biting behavior (BB) and other aggressive gestures occurring in a group of 11 patients retrospectively selected from >1,000 patients subjected to video-EEG/SEEG monitoring for presurgical evaluation of drug-resistant seizures. RESULTS Patients displaying BB showed (a) a male sex predominance, (b) heterogeneous etiologies and lesion locations, and (c) seizures involving the frontotemporal regions of both hemispheres. The act of biting was a rapid motor action, lasting approximately 600 ms, occurring in the context of strong emotional arousal, fear, and anger, with various bodily gestures with aggressive connotation. BB was mainly a "reflexive" behavior, in that biting acts were evoked (both during and after seizures) by actions of people in close contact with the patient. The sole intrusion of the examiner's hand in the space near the patient's face was effective in triggering BB. Rarely, self-directed or object-directed biting acts were not triggered by external stimuli. Intracranial data (SEEG) obtained in one subject showed that the amygdala/hippocampal region plus the orbitomedial prefrontal cortex had to be involved by ictal activity to observe BB. CONCLUSIONS Anatomic and electrophysiologic data in our patients suggest that a model of dual--temporal and frontal--dysfunction could account for the occurrence of ictal/postictal BB. Behavioral data suggest also that BB and related aggressive gestures can be considered as the emergence of instinctive behaviors with an adaptative significance of defense of the peripersonal space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Alberto Tassinari
- Division of Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Bellaria Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy
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Kutlu G, Bilir E, Erdem A, Gomceli YB, Leventoglu A, Kurt GS, Karatas A, Serdaroglu A. Temporal lobe ictal behavioral patterns in hippocampal sclerosis and other structural abnormalities. Epilepsy Behav 2005; 6:353-9. [PMID: 15820343 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2004.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2004] [Revised: 12/28/2004] [Accepted: 12/28/2004] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ictal behavioral characteristics may provide clues in determining the nature of the epileptic focus. We defined ictal behavioral characteristics in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) and lived seizure-free for 2 years of follow-up. Video/EEG data on 282 seizures observed in 48 patients who suffered from TLE and underwent ATL were analyzed. All patients were seizure-free after surgery. We divided the patients into two groups on the basis of the pathological examination. Two hundred and two seizures in 35 patients with hippocampal sclerosis (Group 1) and eighty seizures in 13 patients with other pathological findings, such as tumors, cavernoma, and hamartoma (Group 2), were analyzed. Ictal behavior characteristics were evaluated for each of the seizures recorded in the two groups. Behavioral arrest, bilateral hand automatisms, oral and leg automatisms, and ictal aggression were significantly more frequent in Group 2 (P<0.05), whereas contralateral dystonia of the upper extremity (P<0.05), ipsilateral hand automatisms (P<0.05), ipsilateral hand automatisms in the presence of contralateral dystonia of the upper extremity (P<0.001), contralateral forced head deviation (P<0.05), and secondary generalization (P<0.05) were more significant in Group 1. There was no significant difference in vocalization and ipsilateral nonforced head deviation between the two groups (P>0.05). The number of seizures observed during ictal speech, crying, and postictal nose wiping was not large enough, so differences could not be analyzed. It was concluded that although ictal behavioral characteristics differed between the two groups, certain behavioral patterns may be helpful in differentiating between hippocampal sclerosis and other pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulnihal Kutlu
- Department of Neurology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
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47
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Pontius AA, Wieser HG. Can memories kindle nonconvulsive behavioral seizures in humans? Case report exemplifying the "limbic psychotic trigger reaction". Epilepsy Behav 2004; 5:775-83. [PMID: 15380135 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2004.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2004] [Revised: 05/28/2004] [Accepted: 05/28/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
We present three hypotheses-(1) the limbic psychotic trigger reaction (LPTR) is a form of nonconvulsive behavioral seizures (NCBS), (2) kindling may occur in the LPTR, and (3) kindling may occur with memory stimuli-and report a case that may exemplify a LPTR kindled by memory and triggered by light and smell. The LPTR has a primate model, in which NCBS are kindled by intermittent exposure to actual subthreshold stimuli. In humans, we propose that such triggering stimuli can be revived by memory alone. Thus, individualized stimuli can trigger partial limbic seizures or seizure-like bizarre episodes with a transient loss of frontal control functions. We present a case of paroxysmal episodes of out-of-character, bizarre, unplanned nonvoluntary acts that occurred with flat affect and without drive motivation (e.g., "fire setting"). Implicated is a transient state of limbic "paleo-consciousness" with preserved memory, autonomic arousal, and first-time brief psychosis (e.g., olfactory, visual hallucinations and depersonalization with olfactory attributes). As in kindled primates, LPTR patients do not show a consistent pattern of morphological brain abnormality; half have had an abnormal electroencephalogram, computed tomography scan, or magnetic resonance image at some time during their lives, and half (including the new patient) have had closed head injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B. Barr
- NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, 10016, New York, NY, USA
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49
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Husain M, Rizvi SJ, Usmani JA, Hanif SA. Epilepsy and the law: an Indian perspective. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE 2002; 9:61-4. [PMID: 15274951 DOI: 10.1054/jcfm.2002.0562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
All over the world epileptic patients have traditionally been discriminated legally in matters affecting their everyday existence. India is no exception. In the current paper certain important issues are explored, namely, epilepsy in relation to marriage, criminality, driving and socio-economic crimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Husain
- Department of Forensic Medicine, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
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Abstract
At least 50-60% of patients with epilepsy develop psychiatric disturbances, particularly mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. This article, aimed at the non-psychiatric clinician, reviews the differential diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disturbances in epilepsy and focuses on the evaluation of psychiatric phenomena relative to the ictal state or the periictal and interictal periods. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies are reviewed. A final section discusses potential interactions between antiepileptic and psychiatric medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Marsh
- Neuropsychiatry and Memory Group, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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