Spitting Automatism in Complex Partial Seizures: A Nondominant Temporal Localizing Sign?

Purpose: Spitting as an ictal automatism has been rarely reported. We aimed to establish its potential lateralizing and localizing significance. Methods: Review of patients undergoing surgery for intractable epilepsy at two comprehensive epilepsy centers. Results: Five patients were found who had sp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epilepsia (Copenhagen) 1999-01, Vol.40 (1), p.114-116
Main Authors: Voss, Nicholas F., Davies, Keith G., Boop, Frederick A., Montouris, Georgia D., Hermann, Bruce P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age of Onset
Automatism
Automatism - diagnosis
Automatism - physiopathology
Biological and medical sciences
Electroencephalography
Epilepsy
Epilepsy, Complex Partial - diagnosis
Epilepsy, Complex Partial - physiopathology
Epilepsy, Complex Partial - surgery
Female
Functional Laterality
Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Medical sciences
Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes)
Neurology
Spitting
Sputum - physiology
Stereotyped Behavior - physiology
Surgery
Telemetry
Temporal lobe
Temporal Lobe - pathology
Temporal Lobe - physiopathology
Temporal Lobe - surgery
Videotape Recording
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Summary:Purpose: Spitting as an ictal automatism has been rarely reported. We aimed to establish its potential lateralizing and localizing significance. Methods: Review of patients undergoing surgery for intractable epilepsy at two comprehensive epilepsy centers. Results: Five patients were found who had spitting as a stereotyped automatism of their complex partial seizures. All had evidence of right temporal ictal onset and underwent resective surgery. Two had tumors; one, a cavernous angioma; one, hippocampal gliosis, and one, hippocampal sclerosis. We found no instances of ictal spitting in patients with left hemisphere onset. Conclusions: Spitting as an automatism in complex partial seizures, although uncommon, may be a localizing sign to the nondominant temporal lobe.
ISSN:0013-9580
1528-1167
DOI:10.1111/j.1528-1157.1999.tb01998.x