Seizures Induced by Exiting Water: A Unique Form of Reflex Epilepsy. 2017

Brian Appavu, and Jordana Fox, and Robert Little, and John F Kerrigan, and Makram Obeid
*Department of Neurology, Division of Epilepsy, Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY Departments of †Neurology ‡Neurology, Division of EpilepsyBarrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix §Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center ∥Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon.

BACKGROUND Reflex epilepsies represent a form of epilepsy in which unique modes of seizure precipitation are characterized by endogenous or exogenous stimuli. Hot water epilepsy represents a subtype of reflex epilepsy in which seizure precipitation arises from the act of immersing the head with hot water. Bathing epilepsy represents another subtype of reflex epilepsy in which seizure precipitation arises from the immersion with water at lukewarm temperatures. METHODS We report on 2 boys with a unique form of bathing epilepsy characterized by the act of exiting out of water. The first patient had a family history significant for a brother with frontal lobe epilepsy. He underwent an evaluation in the epilepsy monitoring unit in which a reflex seizure was recorded while exiting the shower. This seizure was characterized by an ictal onset in the left frontal lobe and subsequent secondary generalization. The second patient initially had nonreflex seizures arising from the left temporal lobe and went on to develop reflex seizures upon exiting water. For both patients, the precipitation of seizures was independent of water or environmental temperature, exposure of specific body parts, or duration of water immersion. Both children experienced a sensation of coldness, followed by convulsive or atonic activity. CONCLUSIONS Our cases represent a unique form of bathing epilepsy in which seizure precipitation is dependent upon exiting water.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D006358 Hot Temperature Presence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably higher than an accustomed norm. Heat,Hot Temperatures,Temperature, Hot,Temperatures, Hot
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D014867 Water A clear, odorless, tasteless liquid that is essential for most animal and plant life and is an excellent solvent for many substances. The chemical formula is hydrogen oxide (H2O). (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Hydrogen Oxide
D020195 Epilepsy, Reflex A subtype of epilepsy characterized by seizures that are consistently provoked by a certain specific stimulus. Auditory, visual, and somatosensory stimuli as well as the acts of writing, reading, eating, and decision making are examples of events or activities that may induce seizure activity in affected individuals. (From Neurol Clin 1994 Feb;12(1):57-8) Reflex Epilepsy,Reflex Epilepsy, Audiogenic,Reflex Epilepsy, Cursive (Running),Reflex Epilepsy, Eating-Induced,Reflex Epilepsy, Musicogenic,Reflex Epilepsy, Photosensitive,Reflex Epilepsy, Reading,Audiogenic Epilepsy,Cursive Epilepsy,Decision Making Reflex Epilepsy,Eating-Induced Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Photogenic,Epilepsy, Reading,Immersion Related Epilepsy,Musicogenic Epilepsy,Photosensitive Epilepsy,Reading Epilepsy,Reflex Epilepsy, Visual Pattern,Tactile Reflex Epilepsy,Visual Pattern Reflex Epilepsy,Writing-Induced Reflex Epilepsy,Audiogenic Epilepsies,Audiogenic Reflex Epilepsies,Audiogenic Reflex Epilepsy,Cursive Reflex Epilepsies (Running),Cursive Reflex Epilepsy (Running),Eating Induced Epilepsy,Eating-Induced Epilepsies,Eating-Induced Reflex Epilepsies,Eating-Induced Reflex Epilepsy,Epilepsies, Audiogenic Reflex,Epilepsies, Cursive,Epilepsies, Eating-Induced,Epilepsies, Eating-Induced Reflex,Epilepsies, Immersion Related,Epilepsies, Musicogenic,Epilepsies, Musicogenic Reflex,Epilepsies, Photosensitive,Epilepsies, Photosensitive Reflex,Epilepsies, Reading,Epilepsies, Reading Reflex,Epilepsies, Reflex,Epilepsies, Tactile Reflex,Epilepsies, Writing-Induced Reflex,Epilepsy, Audiogenic,Epilepsy, Audiogenic Reflex,Epilepsy, Cursive,Epilepsy, Cursive Reflex (Running),Epilepsy, Eating-Induced,Epilepsy, Eating-Induced Reflex,Epilepsy, Immersion Related,Epilepsy, Musicogenic,Epilepsy, Musicogenic Reflex,Epilepsy, Photosensitive,Epilepsy, Photosensitive Reflex,Epilepsy, Reading Reflex,Epilepsy, Tactile Reflex,Epilepsy, Writing-Induced Reflex,Immersion Related Epilepsies,Musicogenic Epilepsies,Musicogenic Reflex Epilepsies,Musicogenic Reflex Epilepsy,Photosensitive Epilepsies,Photosensitive Reflex Epilepsies,Photosensitive Reflex Epilepsy,Reading Epilepsies,Reading Reflex Epilepsies,Reading Reflex Epilepsy,Reflex Epilepsies,Reflex Epilepsies, Audiogenic,Reflex Epilepsies, Cursive (Running),Reflex Epilepsies, Eating-Induced,Reflex Epilepsies, Musicogenic,Reflex Epilepsies, Photosensitive,Reflex Epilepsies, Reading,Reflex Epilepsies, Tactile,Reflex Epilepsies, Writing-Induced,Reflex Epilepsy, Eating Induced,Reflex Epilepsy, Tactile,Reflex Epilepsy, Writing-Induced,Tactile Reflex Epilepsies,Writing Induced Reflex Epilepsy,Writing-Induced Reflex Epilepsies

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