The Relationship between Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Choreoathetosis and Epilepsy

Abstract

Purpose

To clarify the relationship between paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis (PKC) and epilepsy, we investigated the clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) findings of patients with familial PKC and epilepsy, as well as sporadic cases with both PKC and epilepsy.

Patients and Methods

Patients consisted of 12 familial cases from seven families and three sporadic cases. The period of follow-up ranged from 17 months to 33 years, 7 months (average: 16 years, 8 months). During the follow-up, a total of 163 EEGs (11 EEGs per subject) were studied, including interictal and ictal EEGs.

Results

Transient epileptic discharges were found in ten of the 15 patients (66.7 %) during the clinical course. As for focus, centro-midtemporal and frontal spikes were most often observed. The ictal EEG of an afebrile convulsion in one patient showed a partial seizure with secondary generalization which originated from the frontal area.

Conclusions

It appears that patients who suffer from both PKC and epilepsy have a functional abnormality of the cerebral cortex, particularly in the perirolandic and frontal regions.

Key words

Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Choreoathetosis - Epilepsy - Cortical Hyperexcitability - Cortico-Striato-Pallido-Thalamic Loop

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