A Case of Gelastic Seizure and Hypothalamic Hamartoma

ABSTRACT

Gelastic Seizure(Ictal laughter) is frequently associated with hypothalamic hamartoma that is congenital tumor composed of heterotrophic and hyperplastic tissue located in the hypothalamus near the interpeduncular cistern, tuber cinereum, and mamillary body. The seizure usually begins in infancy or childhood and may be accompanied with precocious puberty and cognitive decline. A 14 year-old boy visited to our hospital because of paroxysmal frequent involuntary laughing regardless of emotional change. Brain MRI showed nonenhancing hypothalamic mass that had isointensity with gray matter on T1W1 and hyperintensity on T2Wl. So it was suspected that he had a gelastic seizure accompanied with hypothalamic hamartoma.