“Gourmand syndrome” in a child with pharmacoresistant epilepsy

• Published in: Epilepsy & behavior 2008-08, Vol.13 (2), p.413-415
• Main Authors: Kurian, M, Schmitt-Mechelke, T, Korff, C, Delavelle, J, Landis, T, Seeck, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; Appetite - physiology; Cerebral Hemorrhage - complications; Cerebral Hemorrhage - physiopathology; Child; Dominance, Cerebral - physiology; Drug Resistance; Eating disorder; Epilepsy; Epilepsy - diagnosis; Epilepsy - drug therapy; Epilepsy - physiopathology; Feeding and Eating Disorders - diagnosis; Feeding and Eating Disorders - drug therapy; Feeding and Eating Disorders - physiopathology; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Gourmand syndrome; Humans; Lesion; Magnetic resonance imaging; Male; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests; Obesity; Parietal Lobe - physiopathology; Right hemisphere; Temporal Lobe - physiopathology
• ISSN: 1525-5050; 1525-5069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2008.04.004

Abstract We report the case of a 10-year-old boy with pharmacoresistant epilepsy, symptomatic of a right temporoparietal hemorrhagic lesion, who displayed an eating passion as described for the gourmand syndrome (GS) in adults and discuss the role of epilepsy in GS. This patient presented with a significant change in his eating habits (abnormal preoccupation with the preparation and eating of fine-quality food) concordant with the onset of his seizure disorder, without any previous history of eating disorders or psychiatric illness. This observation corroborates the important role of the right cerebral hemisphere in disturbed eating habits, including the relatively benign GS, and, possibly rarely, in less benign eating disorders such as anorexia and obesity.