Temporal lobe epilepsy?
27 Apr 2011, 7:05 am
Wow! I've been having seizures! It's like having your brain hit with a power washer! In fact, that's what motivated me to do a search coupling "temporal lobe epilepsy" with "autism," and I ran across this site again. Well, why the heck not, I thought, I'll blather about it to someone.
It's kind of neat, but I'm going to be having a long discussion about this with my neurologist. It might be that my apparent "lingering Aspergers" is just an outgrowth of Geschwind Syndrome associated with temporal lobe seizures.
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27 Apr 2011, 12:53 pm
OK...this is kinda my area of work, so I'll try not to go into so much detail that it bores everyone, but:
1. It is very uncommon, but possible, for a partial seizure to involve only an emotional state such as depression. If it did, it would probably only last 30 sec - 5 minutes. The way to determine this would be to have an EEG while the episode is occurring. An EEG when not having an episode may or may not be informative, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper and easier than prolonged video-EEG monitoring, so most neurologists start there.
2. It *is* very common for patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (which includes me, btw) to have bouts of depression (which also includes me), but depression without epilepsy is far *more* common.
3. Nevertheless, approximately 30% of people with autism spectrum disorders also have seizure disorders, so if there are episodes consistent with seizures, it is well worth it to see a neurologist.
~Kate
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Ce e amorul? E un lung
Prilej pentru durere,
Caci mii de lacrimi nu-i ajung
Si tot mai multe cere.
--Mihai Eminescu
27 Apr 2011, 1:00 pm
I think I’ve seen recent subtle changes in auditory processing and sense of smell. And a bunch of anxiety, but I have a situational excuse for that. I also see major changes in concentration and memory and other stuff, but that doesn’t seem related to anything in this test. Life-long history of migraine or mini-stroke-type stuff.
Oh, and I did NOT hit my head when I was a kid. I have no idea what that part is about.
(Prior CT scan demonstrated “a questionable 7mm hypodensity in the right frontal lobe.”)
MRI with and without contrast:
The ventricles and sulci are of normal caliber for the patient’s age without evidence for hyrdocephalus. There is mild periventricular white matter signal abnormality which is nonspecific buy typically relates to microvascular disease. The diffusion-weighted images reveal no evidence for acute infarct. There s a region of focal encephalomalacia within the right paramedian frontal lobe corresponding to the CT scan abnormality. This measures approximately 7mm. There is no associated surrounding gliosis or enhancing mass. The findings are likely the sequoia of previous trauma or infarct. Postcontrast images demonstrate no evidence for enhancing mass or abnormal enhancement pattern. The cerebellopontine angles and internal auditory canals are normal. The intractanial flow-voids are normal at the skull base.
The midline structures have a normal appearance.
The visualized portions of the orbits and paranasal sinuses are unremarkable.
IMPRESSION: Redemonstration of anormality in the right paramedian frontal lobe where a small region of cystic encephalomalacia is present. There is no associated surrounding gliosis or enhancing mass. The findings are likely of no clinical significance currently and may relate to remote trauma or infarct.
Mild microvascular disease without acute infarct.
The reason the neurologist wasn't too excited is that the abnormality is old. It takes time for cystic encephalomalacia to form. That's why he said to come in and talk about it...nothing can really be done about it and nothing needed to be done right away. However, why was the scan done? It could have to do with the reason it was done, and the neurologist could/should have told you at least that. Also, how old are you?
~Kate
_________________
Ce e amorul? E un lung
Prilej pentru durere,
Caci mii de lacrimi nu-i ajung
Si tot mai multe cere.
--Mihai Eminescu
15 Apr 2012, 12:41 pm
Hi All
I am so glad i came across this discussion. My boyfriend went for an EEG when he was a teenager and they found some abnormalities in the temporal lobe region. But nothing was done about it. Now 15 years later he has been prescribed Epitec which he has been on for 6 months now. He used to have serious rage attacks which I just thought were bad arguments with me - but now that i have been doing research, I see that one of the symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy is aggression. His rage attacks are extremely scary to me and nothing he says makes any rational sense. The only time that he has had rage attacks on Epitec have been due to him forgetting to take his meds that day. He was supposed to go back after his 6months prescribtion ended (now this week) but he doesnt want to stay on the meds any longer.
I dont think he realised the seriousness of his condition and he tells me that he is only on the pills for me - as the "rage attacks" or aggression is something that he has lived with his entire life so i guess to him - they seem normal.
How do i approach the matter with him without angering him or making him feel "weak". We want to get married and start a family soon and i cant have our children raised in a house where they have to bear witness to the shouting and screaming occaisionally....
16 Apr 2012, 8:01 am
You're right, you can't do that. If he is resistant to the medication now, he will be be impossible later.
Does he have doubts about the effectiveness or necessity of the drug?
16 Apr 2012, 6:56 pm
I've have a severe drop in energy and just a lot of moodiness before I'd have a seizure. Mind you it wasn't a temporal lobe one. It's usually one of the big tonic conic ones which I never seem to lose consciousness from. It's rare but it does happen.
I usually relate my TLE seizures to hallucinations, tingling and sudden changes in mood. I never thought to look for depressed feelings. I have PMDD which give me depression/ anger issues leading up to my period. What joy! I actually do get rather suicidal though.
I've had few rage attacks. I usually just get the urge to have a meltdown and run away. But I keep to a very strict diet so I don't have to be hallucinating and jerking around constantly.
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