Patients' ability to react before complex partial seizures

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the study described here was to investigate the pathophysiology of patients' ability to react during the conscious (aura) phase of complex partial seizures (CPS) originating from the temporal lobe.

Methods: We reviewed video recordings of CPS experienced by 130 adult patients who had undergone epilepsy surgery for intractable medial temporal lobe epilepsy. All patients were instructed to push the alarm button when they felt an aura. We defined the preictal reactivity as the ability to push the alarm button before the complex partial (unconscious) phase of seizures.

Results: Seventy-seven patients (59%) pushed the alarm button before seizures. Patients with preictal reactivity were significantly younger, more often had lateralized EEG seizure patterns, and had a better postoperative outcome. Patients who did not push the alarm button had secondarily generalized seizures more often.

Conclusions: Ability to react before CPS is associated with a circumscribed region involved at seizure onset and spread, and with a seizure-free postoperative outcome.