Peri-ictal vegetative symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy

Epilepsy Behav. 2007 Aug;11(1):125-9. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2007.04.015. Epub 2007 Jun 20.

Abstract

We investigated peri-ictal vegetative symptoms (PIVS) in 141 patients with adult temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and assessed frequency, gender effect, and lateralizing value of peri-ictal autonomic signs. We recorded abdominal auras in 62%, goosebumps in 3%, hypersalivation in 12%, spitting in 1%, cold shivering in 3%, urinary urge in 3%, water drinking in 7%, postictal nose wiping (PNW) in 44%, and postictal coughing in 16%. At least one vegetative sign appeared in 86% of the patients. The presence of PIVS did not have a significant lateralizing value. PNW occurred in 52% of women and in 33% of men, whereas any PIVS was present in 93% of women and 77% of men. In summary, contradictory to previous studies, the presence of PIVS has no lateralizing value, which may be linked to a low frequency of occurrence of PIVS. PIVS, especially PNW, occurred more frequently in women, supporting the gender differences in epilepsy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Automatism / complications*
  • Autonomic Nervous System / physiopathology*
  • Behavioral Symptoms / complications*
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / complications*
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Videotape Recording