Ictal laughter and crying: Should they be classified as automatisms?

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3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Gelastic seizures (GS) describe ictal laughter and are associated with hypothalamic lesions, as well as other cortical areas. Dacrystic seizures (DS), characterized by ictal crying, also have been reported in hypothalamic lesions and focal epilepsy. We describe a young girl with drug resistant focal dyscognitive seizures associated with gelastic and dacrystic features. However, neither laughter nor crying was correlated with a stereotyped electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern or involvement of a particular brain region. Additionally, based on the variety of epileptogenic foci associated with GS and DS in the literature, laughter and crying appear to represent ictal or peri-ictal automatisms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)31-33
Number of pages3
JournalEpilepsy and Behavior Case Reports
Volume7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017

Keywords

  • Automatisms
  • Dacrystic seizures
  • Epilepsy
  • Gelastic seizures
  • Parietal lobe

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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