Clinical and EEG Features of Complex Partial Seizures of Temporal Lobe Origin

Summary: The electrographic and clinical behavioural manifestations of 96 temporal lobe seizures are reviewed from recordings in 19 patients who were submitted to stereotaxic depth electrode implantation in temporal and frontal lobes. Focal onset in hippocampus was recorded in 40% of the seizures. Sixty percent of temporal lobe seizures exhibited a regional seizure onset but in two-thirds of these ictal changes were restricted to amygdaloid and hippocampal structures. Thus, in approximately 80% of seizures, the onset of ictal EEG changes resided in the mesial temporal structures. The main behavioral manifestations observed during seizure discharge restricted to one temporal lobe included warning (67%), motionless stare (24%), automatism (22%), and head-body turning (24%). The predominant ictal behavioural manifestations observed during seizure spread to contralateral temporal and extratemporal structures included warning (3%), motionless stare (36%), automatism (77%), and head-body turning (81%). The direction of head turning did not provide reliable lateralization as to the side of seizure onset.