Epilepsy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Epilepsy, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, drugs, information.

Gelastic seizures in a young boy: evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging.

Robbani I, Bhat TA

Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Kashmir, India. irfanrobbani@yahoo.co.in

OBJECTIVE: To present an interesting case of gelastic seizures in a child who had an underlying brain lesion. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION: A 10-year-old boy presented with recurrent episodes of uncontrollable laughter since the age of 6 years. Computed tomography showed a well-defined mass in the region of suprasellar and interpeduncular cisterns. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion, most likely a hamartoma, arising from the region of tuber cinerium. The lesion was subsequently resected and a marked improvement in the frequency and intensity of seizures was noted. CONCLUSION: This report shows that neuroimaging should be performed on patients with gelastic seizures to exclude any underlying structural lesion of causal significance.

Published 2 May 2005 in Med Princ Pract, 14(3): 199-201.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Epilepsy Research Today. All Rights Reserved.