Epileptic nocturnal wanderings with a temporal lobe origin: a stereo-electroencephalographic study

SUMMARY: To show the results of the exploration conducted with intracerebral electrodes in a patients affected by epileptic nocturnal wanderings (ENWs). METHOD: The patient was investigated with long-term video-stereo-electroencephalographic (SEEG) monitoring by means of stereotactically introduced intracerebral electrodes. RESULTS: We recorded four nocturnal seizures with typical features of ENWs. The SEEG ictal recordings demonstrated a well-localized initial discharge always confined to the right temporal structures with secondary spread to the cingulate regions. DISCUSSION: Together with paroxysmal arousals and nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia, ENWs has been considered as a manifestation of the nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Our investigation and the result of surgical outcome in this patient indicate that in some cases such episodes could have a temporal-lobe origin.