Can J Neurol Sci. 2003 Aug;30(3):228-32
Gambardella A, Valentino P, Labate A, Sibilia G, Ruscica F, Colosimo
E, Nistico R, Messina D, Zappia M, Quattrone A.
Institute of Neurology, School of Medicine, Catanzaro, Italy.
OBJECTIVE:
To report on five patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) as the unique manifestation of multiple sclerosis (MS).
METHODS:
Among 350 consecutive MS patients, we identified 16/350 (4.6%) who also had epileptic seizures.
Here, we review their electrophysiological and clinical features.
RESULTS:
Five of these 16 patients (four female, one male; mean age 34.2 years; range 31 to 38) with MS and epileptic seizures had an extremely homogeneous clinical picture characterized by TLE as the unique manifestation of MS, even at long follow-up (mean: five years; range 4 to 10).
In all patients, seizures started in the second or third decade.
Brain MRI revealed at least one juxta-cortical lesion within the temporal region.
Antiepileptic medication was always effective.
CONCLUSIONS:
The present study provides the first evidence of a peculiar form of MS characterized by TLE as the unique manifestation of the disease with no disability or MS relapses at long-term follow-up.