Clinical features of epilepsy with pervasive developmental disorder

• Published in: Brain & development (Tokyo. 1979) 2010-10, Vol.32 (9), p.764-768
• Main Authors: Kurokawa, Toru, Yokomizo, Yuko, Lee, Sooyoug, Kusuda, Tsuyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Autism; Child; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - diagnosis; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - physiopathology; Child, Preschool; Electroencephalogram; Epilepsy; Epilepsy - diagnosis; Epilepsy - physiopathology; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Maternal Age; Middle Aged; Neurology; Pervasive developmental disorder; Physical Examination - methods; Pregnancy; Psychological Tests; Retrospective Studies; Risk factor; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0387-7604; 1872-7131
• DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2010.05.008

Abstract Purpose To clarify the clinical features of patients with epilepsy and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Methods : We examined 12 outpatients with epilepsy as well as PDD at Seiai Rehabilitation Hospital. Results : The patients comprised 7 males and 5 females. The initial neurological symptoms appeared between 5 months and 4 years of age. The interval between the initial neurological symptoms/developmental delay and seizure onset ranged from several months to twenty years. The seizures started at 10–19 years of age in 8 out of the 12 cases. The types of seizures were astatic-drop in 2 cases, tonic-to-astatic in one, atypical absence (decreased consciousness) and generalized tonic clonic seizures (GTCS) in 3 cases, GTCS in 4 cases, or myoclonic and psychomotor in 2 cases. The mental development distributed from normal to extremely severe retardation. Paroxysmal abnormalities on eegs were focal at the frontal area in 7 cases (58%) and other findings in 5 cases. Presumptive risk factors were prenatal in 6 cases (family history for PDD in 1 case, for epilepsy in 1, twin pregnancy in 2 cases, and other in 2 cases), perinatal in 2 patients, postnatal in 1, and unknown in 3 cases. Conclusions : The seizures occurred most frequently after the onset of neurological symptoms or developmental delay. The frontal lobe dysfunction was associated with seizure onset in 58% of the cases based on the EEG findings. The risk factors were prenatal in 50% of the cases.