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Toothbrushing-induced epilepsy with structural lesions in the primary somatosensory area.

D'Souza WJ, O'Brien TJ, Murphy M, Trost NM, Cook MJ

The University of Melbourne, The Department of Neurology & Neurological Research, The Daly Wing, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy 3065, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. dsouzaw@iprimus.com.au

We report three patients with reflex toothbrushing-induced epilepsy associated with small circumscribed structural lesions in the primary somatosensory cortex in close proximity to the hand and speech motor areas. Sensory symptoms were observed at clinical onset with localizing focal ictal and interictal epileptiform discharges on EEG. These cases refine the localization, possible mechanisms of epileptogenesis, and classification of this reflex epilepsy.

Published 6 March 2007 in Neurology, 68(10): 769-71.
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