Epilepsia partialis continua: semiology and differential diagnoses

Abstract

Epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) is a rare form of focal status epilepticus. It may have vascular, immune-mediated, neoplastic or metabolic-toxic causes. The origin of EPC has been linked with the motor cortex. This has been solidly supported by sophisticated electrophysiological studies. Here, a series of video sequences from patients with EPC (due to Rasmussen encephalitis, early-stage multiple sclerosis, and steroid responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis), and other cases with repetitive myoclonic jerks or movement disorders (myoclonic epilepsy associated with ragged-red fibers, Jacksonian march, myoclonic seizures in other types of frontal lobe or idiopathic generalized epilepsies, and different types of tremor) is presented. [Published with video sequences].