Treatment options and paradigms in childhood temporal lobe epilepsy.

Abstract

Temporal lobe epilepsy in adults is a relatively homogenous syndrome with hippocampal sclerosis being its most common pathologic substrate. In the pediatric age group, low-grade neoplasms and cortical dysplasia are much more common than hippocampal sclerosis. Pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy has distinct semiologic, electrophysiologic and imaging characteristics as compared with its adult counterpart. The various treatment options for pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy include antiepileptic drugs, resective surgery, vagal nerve stimulation and the ketogenic diet. In spite of the multiple antiepileptic drugs currently available, 5-10% of all newly diagnosed cases will remain intractable to medical therapy and should be referred for presurgical evaluation. Resective surgery offers the best chance of seizure freedom in carefully selected patients. Future areas of research include new drug development, better imaging and localization techniques, and brain stimulation.

• Authors: Amit Ray, Elaine Wyllie
• Journal: Expert review of neurotherapeutics (Expert Rev Neurother) Vol. 5 Issue 6 Pg. 785-801 (Nov 2005) ISSN: 1744-8360 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 16274336 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants

Topics

• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Diagnostic Imaging (methods)
• Diet Therapy (methods)
• Electric Stimulation (methods)
• Electroencephalography (methods)
• Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe (pathology, physiopathology, therapy)
• Expert Testimony
• Hippocampus (pathology)
• Humans
• Meta-Analysis as Topic
• Neurosurgery (methods)
• Sclerosis
• Treatment Outcome
• Vagus Nerve (physiopathology, radiation effects)