Strokes in tuberous sclerosis: are rhabdomyomas a cause?

Abnormalities of the cerebral arteries and the aorta are more common in young patients with tuberous sclerosis than in the rest of the population. Strokes have been reported but there is no confirmation that embolization of cerebral arteries by fragments of cardiac rhabdomyoma plays a role in the higher incidence of strokes in these patients.     

以癫痫为首发症状的结节性硬化症一例

目的分析结节性硬化症的临床、影像学特点以及治疗方法和预后情况。方法分析1例以癫痫为首发症状的结节性硬化症患者的临床、影像学资料。结果结节性硬化症患者的首诊原因通常是癫痫发作,目前此病无特殊治疗方法,多以控制癫痫治疗为主。结论对结节性硬化症患者应做到早发现,早诊断,早干预。     

Gelastic seizures in tuberous sclerosis complex: case report and literature review

Gelastic seizures are typically associated with hypothalamic hamartoma. Given the rarity of gelastic seizures, pathways for the motor and emotional aspects of laughter have been hypothesized but remain unclear. The authors perform a literature review to discuss what is known about these pathways. They also report a child who presented with tuberous sclerosis complex initially without cutaneous stigmata, who later developed gelastic seizures. Only 2 case reports of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex who subsequently developed gelastic epilepsy have previously been reported. In discussing his case, the authors postulate additional etiologies for gelastic seizures.     

Multiple sclerosis with consciousness disturbance: a case report

We report here a nine-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis having consciousness disturbance at admission. Neurological examination revealed drowsiness, unstable emotion, decreased visual acuity, disturbance of convergence, and clumsy coordination movements. Her cerebrospinal fluid IgG and myelin basic protein were increased. Electroencephalogram showed intermittent, high voltage slow waves predominant in the frontal lobes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) found multiple demyelinating plaques in the brainstem, thalamus, periventricular white matter. The brainstem reticular formation was involved. Since she had had bilateral acute optic neuritis and papillitis two years before the admission, the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was made. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy improved her neurological symptoms and MRI findings. Multiple sclerosis in children, unlike that in adults, may present with symptoms mimicking an encephalopathy. Our case suggested that consciousness disturbance in childhood multiple sclerosis results from lesions in the brainstem activating reticular formation including the thalamus.     

Local epileptogenic networks in tuberous sclerosis complex: a case review

OBJECTIVE: Cortical tubers are a pathognomonic finding in some patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and are believed to be epileptogenic foci. Surgery is an effective option in selected patients with TSC who are refractory to medical therapy. This article describes three patients with TSC who underwent three-stage epilepsy surgery at our center, with the intention of examining local electrophysiological changes after each stage of the procedure. METHODS: Magnetic resonance images were obtained after initial implantation of electrodes and after resection and electrode reimplantation. These images were co-registered and overlaid. The intracranial grids were overlaid in a similar procedure and manually traced, and then added to the volumetric image. Mean spike counts were obtained for each patient and expressed in spikes per minute. Statistical analysis was performed on spike counts prior to and after resection. RESULTS: All three patients displayed intense spiking in the regions around the dominant epileptogenic tuber. On tuber removal, spike counts diminished significantly. In each case, new areas of spiking emerged in regions remote from the tuber periphery after tuber resection, with the emergence of secondary ictal onset zones in the resection margin. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study highlights some common electrophysiological features among the patients examined. The observed epileptogenic activity and regions of ictal onset suggest that it may be the region of brain tissue surrounding the tuber that is responsible for the majority of epileptogenic activity in these patients.     

Multiple sclerosis with higher cerebral dysfunction: a case report

Higher cerebral dysfunctions such as aphasia, apraxia and agnosia have seldom been reported in multiple sclerosis (MS). 12 year-old right-handed boy felt unsteadiness of the body and headache for several days. Two months later, he had the same episode and complained of visual disturbance, and weakness and sensory disturbance on the face and the extremities. Additionally, he showed amnestic aphasia, acalculia, ideomotor apraxia, finger agnosia and right-left disorientation. Cerebrospinal fluid examinations revealed increases IgG, myelin basic protein and neuron specific enolase (11%, 25 ng/ml and 28.8 ng/ml, respectively). X-ray CT scan and MRI-CT examinations revealed sclerotic lesions on the left parietal white matter and the right mid-brain. The diagnosis was made as MS. He was treated with m-PSL (methyl-prednisolone) pulse therapy for three weeks and consecutively treated with PSL for four weeks. He recovered gradually, but visual disturbance and facial palsy remained. After seven months MRI-CT showed a high signal intensity on the left parietal white matter in spite of the disappearance of the lesion on X-ray CT scan. We suggest that these higher cerebral dysfunctions may result from the lesion of the left parietal white matter which produces a disconnection between each cortical area.     

Multiple sclerosis and parkinsonism: a case report

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a well-known disease characterized by the distribution of plaques in the periventricular and subcortical white matter. Although plaques can also be found in the striatum, pallidum and thalamus, extrapyramidal symptoms are very rare in MS. However, the association of MS and parkinsonism is still a controversial topic as it has not been established whether these two conditions occur coincidentally or causally. In the literature, eleven cases of parkinsonism associated with MS have been described. Here, we report a patient with clinically definite MS and signs of parkinsonism. Our patient had slow progressive bradykinesia, static tremor and bradymimia that were not associated with exacerbation or progression of the MS. This rare and interesting association of multiple sclerosis with parkinsonism is discussed in the light of literature reports.     

Multiple sclerosis preceding CNS lymphoma: a case report

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that targets the myelin of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. The inciting trigger that activates this immune response is unknown. Primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is usually a diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that originates in the brain, spinal cord, leptomeninges, or eyes. We report a 33-year-old patient who was diagnosed to have multiple sclerosis initially and a CNS lymphoma was noted 38 months later. Primary CNS lymphoma is a potential complication of chronic immunosuppression. Due to the uses of steroid, immunosuppresants and beta-interferon for multiple sclerosis, our patient developed an immuno-compromised state. These agents might contribute to the occurrence of a primary CNS lymphoma. On the other hand, a demyelinating disease may have preceded the diagnosis of primary CNS lymphoma. A possibility of neoplastic transformation in CNS inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis may occur. The association of coexistent primary CNS lymphoma and multiple sclerosis may be more than coincidental.     

Neonatal tuberous sclerosis: report of a case studied by cranial MRI]

We reported longitudinal cranial MRI studies of a neonate with tuberous sclerosis who presented convulsive seizures on the first day after birth. Cortical tubers were not detected on MRI performed at the age of 1 month, but became evident at 18 months after birth. This finding might reflect the pathological difference between the amount of myelin around the cortical tuber and other white matter lesions, which increased with age. A heterotopic islet was shown as partially stratiform appearance on MRI. This result suggests that the structure of the heterotopic islet might be heterogeneous.     

雷帕霉素治疗结节性硬化症合并婴儿痉挛症一例报告并文献复习

目的 探讨雷帕霉素治疗结节性硬化症合并婴儿痉挛症的临床疗效. 方法 对解放军总医院儿童医学中心2011年6月收治的1例结节性硬化症合并婴儿痉挛症患儿应用雷帕霉素治疗前后的临床表现、辅助检查方法、治疗结果等进行回顾性分析. 结果 患儿有明显的皮肤损害,主要表现为色素脱失斑,同时合并婴儿痉挛症,头颅MRI及CT均有异常改变.患儿应用雷帕霉素治疗3个月后可见色素脱失减轻,痉挛发作较前明显减少,头颅MRI显示室管膜下结节较前减小,脑电图较前改善,智能发育进步,且治疗过程中未见明显不良反应. 结论 应用雷帕霉素治疗结节性硬化症合并婴儿痉挛症有显著疗效,安全性好.     

Anorexia nervosa in a child with tuberous sclerosis complex

Psychiatric disorders pose a significant burden to the quality of life of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex and their caregivers. The relationship between the location and distribution of brain abnormalities in tuberous sclerosis complex and specific neuropsychiatric disorders is largely unknown. We present the first case in the literature of a child with tuberous sclerosis complex and anorexia nervosa and discuss the relevance of electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, and neuropsychologic testing. To understand psychiatric disturbances in tuberous sclerosis complex, we must consider each of the following factors: cerebral pathology, seizure history, cognitive impairment, psychosocial stressors, and medications.     

Multiple sclerosis and familial Mediterranean fever: a case report

IntroductionFew cases of patients with both Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have been reported, mainly from Turkey. Central nervous system manifestations are rare in FMF.Case reportWe report the case of a 37-year-old right-handed man with FMF diagnosed at 17 the age of years and successfully treated with colchicine. The patient was born in Algeria and lived in France since he was four years old. He had a brother who had multiple sclerosis. When the patient was 23 years old, he experienced diplopia and leg numbness that resolved spontaneously without treatment. Ten years later, new neurological events appeared every six months and were treated with corticoid-steroids. The diagnosis of MS was made. In 2006, he was hospitalized for new explorations in order to search for neuro-Behçet's disease, because of the development of a canker sore. There was no argument for neuro-Behçet's disease.DiscussionNeurological complications of FMF are rare. It is important to rule out a neuro-Behçet disease in a FMF patient with neurological disorders. Previous studies and case reports on the association between FMF and MS have failed to draw a clear conclusion as to whether this is a true association or a simple coincidence. In our patient's clinical situation, we found no argument for changing the treatment of MS and FMF.     

Levetiracetam as adjunctive antiepileptic therapy for patients with tuberous sclerosis complex: a retrospective open-label trial

Seizures are a common neurologic symptom of tuberous sclerosis complex. The use of levetiracetam as adjunctive antiepileptic therapy was assessed in 20 patients with tuberous sclerosis complex aged 2 to 19 years. In this retrospective evaluation, 40% of patients treated with levetiracetam achieved a seizure reduction of more than 50%. Levetiracetam was generally well tolerated, and adverse events were relatively uncommon in patients who responded to treatment. The most commonly reported adverse events were behavioral problems. Unstable gait, insomnia, poor appetite, and increased seizure frequency were also reported. Based on these results, the use of levetiracetam as adjunctive antiepileptic therapy can reduce seizure frequency in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. (J Child Neurol 2006;21:53-57).     

Psychological profile of adults with tuberous sclerosis complex

The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, a standardized self-report measure of psychological symptoms, was administered to 42 adults with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Approximately 45% reported high overall psychological distress, most commonly involving interpersonal sensitivity, psychoticism, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Symptoms were related to number of organ systems affected by TSC and, in some cases, to seizure history, but not to genotype, IQ, education, severity of epilepsy, or use of anticonvulsant or psychiatric medication.     

Spinal metastatic tumor in a patient with tuberous sclerosis complex

Most of the cauda equina tumors are primary tumors and metastases (especially from some tumors like renal carcinoma [RC]) are very unusual. We report a 28-yearold- man with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) who had undergone a left nephrectomy one year before for the treatment of RC. He presented with a 2-3 month history of lower back pain that radiated to both legs and weakness in lower limbs. He denied bowel and bladder symptoms. A magnetic resonance scan of the dorsolumbar spine revealed an intradural extramedullary cauda equina mass that demonstrated uniform homogeneous enhancement, which was a metastasis. Therapeutical and diagnostic aspects are discussed. We review the previous literature on this topic.     

Cognitive prognosis of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex

To assess cognitive outcome in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and identify predictive risk factors, we reviewed records of 107 patients who underwent comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation. Fifty-seven percent of patients with TSC had normal-range IQ/developmental quotient (DQ). Cognitive outcome was strongly associated with refractory seizures and TSC2 mutation. In TSC, IQ/DQ is bimodally distributed, and more than half of individuals are in the normal range.     

Surgical outcome in tuberous sclerosis complex: a multicenter survey

Multicenter, retrospective analysis of 70 subjects with TSC following surgery for relief of epilepsy revealed significant associations between younger age at seizure onset, present/prior history of infantile spasms, interictal focality (bilateral versus unilateral), and absence of residual postoperative predominant tuber, and poorer postoperative outcome (p < 0.01). Ictal multifocality, mental retardation, and discordant EEG and MRI data showed a negative trend toward outcome, but were not significant.     

The diverse clinical manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex: a review

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant multisystem neurocutaneous disorder. TSC results in hamartomatous lesions primarily involving the skin, central nervous system, kidneys, eyes, heart, and lungs. The clinical findings and severity of TSC are highly variable. Recent advances in our understanding of the complexities of the TSC1 and TSC2 genes are making genotype-phenotype correlations possible. While managing seizures, cognitive dysfunction, and behavioral abnormalities are the primary responsibility of the neurologist, familiarity with all aspects of this disease helps provide better comprehensive care for affected individuals.     

Progressive calcified tuber in a young male with tuberous sclerosis complex

Tubers are the most common brain lesions in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and typically remain stable in size and appearance. We present the case of a young male with global developmental impairment and autistic features as well as multiple and mixed daily seizures. The patient had a prominent right frontal cortical tuber characterized by a calcified component, which changed on consecutive magnetic resonance imaging between the age of 4 and 11 years, at which time the patient underwent a lesionectomy. A poor long-term outcome is reported since the patient presents an intractable mixed seizure disorder status post-epilepsy surgery and no significant neuropsychological improvements. Histopathology findings show typical characteristics of tubers in TSC as well as numerous calcifications within the resected nodular lesion. This case supports the notion that tubers with calcified components are not necessarily static lesions and can change with time. Investigation of the relationship between the presence of calcification in tubers and epileptogenecity in a large group of patients would provide insights into the pathogenesis of the seizures and cognitive impairment and hopefully, eventually provide better treatment options for patients with TSC.