Epileptic Nystagmus Associated with Occipital Lobe Epilepsy

ABSTRACT

Epileptic seizures of nystagmoid character with the fast -beat to the opposite side of the epileptogenic focus have been described as oculoclonic seizures and epileptic nystagmus. Epileptic nystagmus, especially horizontal, most commonly results from seizure activity involving the occipital cortex, although participation of adjoining portions of the parietal and temporal cortex is possible. The frequency of ictal nystagmus was less than 10% of patients with occipital lobe epilepsy. Although forty-six cases were already reported at the litherature, there was no report in korea. We reported a 20-year old patient who had history of recurrent paroxysmal attacks of epileptic nystagniu, associated with oscillopsia and followed by episodic bilateral blindness and eyelid flutter. Standard and extra occipital electrodes visualized more exact left occipital foci at the videomonitored EEG examination when the patient showed epileptic nystagmus. The ictal Brain SPECT, with the use of 99mTc-HMPAO also localized the seizures to left occipital lobe.