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Biomedical subjects

J Bancaud

Publications and source records attributed to J Bancaud.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Hemispheric lateralization of motor and speech functions after early brain lesion: study of 73 epileptic patients with intracarotid amytal test.

This study reports results of a bilateral intracarotid amytal test in 73 epileptic patients with medically intractable focal seizures. No right-handers but 50% of left-handers have a right dominance for speech in this particular population. Lateralization of cerebral speech functions, as well as manual preference, are dependent on the neurological disease and can shift conjointly or independently. We study the relationships of those shifts to different variables related to the cerebral pathology: age at onset and lateralization of epilepsy, extensive brain damage, neurological deficit.

Adolescent↗

Gustatory hallucinations in epileptic seizures. Electrophysiological, clinical and anatomical correlates.

Of the 718 patients investigated for intractable epilepsy by stereoelectrocencephalographic (SEEG) exploration, 30 (4%) manifested gustatory hallucinations as part of their seizures. In 20 patients, it was possible to make some electrophysiological, clinical and anatomical correlates. Gustatory hallucinations occurred as one manifestation of parietal, temporal or temporoparietal seizures. A brief isolated gustatory hallucination was induced mainly by electrical stimulation of the parietal or rolandic opercula in patients with gustatory seizures, in 1 epileptic patient with parietotemporal epilepsy who had never experienced gustatory hallucinations and in another with temporal lobe epilepsy with no history of gustatory manifestations. The electrically-induced seizures, which included a gustatory hallucination as one of the ictal events, were obtained mainly by stimulation of the hippocampus and amygdala. The associated ictal events of a seizure with gustatory manifestations differed depending upon the origin of the seizure. During parietal seizures, they consisted of staring reactions, clonic contractions of the face, deviation of the eyes and salivation. During temporal lobe seizures, the associated events included mainly oral movements, autonomic disturbances, purposeless movements and epigastric or other abdominal symptoms. Seizures affecting both the infra- and suprasylvian regions were characterized by symptoms of both categories listed above. Emotional disturbances were observed mainly when there was an involvement of the cingulate gyrus. When care was taken to avoid methodological errors in the interpretation of the clinical signs occurring after electrical stimulation, it became clear that gustatory hallucinations in man were related to the disorganization of the parietal and/or rolandic operculum. electrically-induced temporal lobe seizures which included gustatory hallucinations as an ictal event probably spread to the opercular region by a functional reorganization of the connections within these epileptogenic areas.

Adult↗

[Clinical symptomatology of epileptic seizures of temporal origin].

Many discrepancies still exist in the description of clinical symptoms and signs attributable to a paroxysmal disorganization of temporal structures. They result from various methodological appraisals of clinical, electrophysiological and neuroradiological data concerning partial epilepsies. However a study of anatomo-electroclinical correlations in temporal seizures yield an easy pattern when the methods of elaboration, the criteria of validity and their meaning are strictly defined. An analysis of temporal seizures, recorded, filmed and described clinically in 300 patients having had a pre-surgical SEEG examination is the basis of a proposed classification of their main clinical features. The structures supposed to be ictally disorganized are, for each category, as follows: simple and complex visual and auditory hallucinations and illusions are due to a discharge beginning in the temporal-occipital or superior (posterior or anterior) temporal cortex. Memory troubles like dreamy-state are due to a simultaneous impairment of some neo-cortical areas and of Ammon's horn. Instinctive-affective troubles, like genital and sexual signs, or symptoms, emotional, mood, affective troubles seem to be linked to discharges in hippocampal and juxta-insular, internal perisylvian areas. Autonomous (cardiac, digestive, etc.) troubles are linked to a disorganization of basal limbic structures and especially of the perisylvian cortex. Motor and verbal automatisms have different meanings: only chewing is due to a discharge in the amygdalian area and in its hypothalamic efferents. Cognitive impairment is difficult to classify.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

[The "epileptogenic zone" in humans: representation of intercritical events by spatio-temporal maps].

In the preoperative investigation of partial epilepsies, electrical characteristics of the so-called epileptogenic area are of critical interest to localize this area. We have always emphasized that the analysis of ictal events themselves, is more valuable than that of inter-ictal anomalis. One reason for this emphasis has been the absence of a reliable method to evaluate the relationship between the topography of ictal and interictal events. An technique for imaging an intracerebral potential field is reported. It allows to analyse the spatio-temporal distribution of interictal events recorded during the SEEG exploration. This technique applied to an illustrative patient shows that the temporo-spatial distribution of interictal spikes is related to that of the ictal discharge itself. A new hypothesis concerning the build up of an epileptogenic area in man is presented.

Adult↗

Distinction between the myoclonus-related potential and the epileptic spike in epilepsia partialis continua.

Neurophysiological analysis of spontaneous and reflex-triggered myoclonus in a case of epilepsia partialis continua is reported. A central positive wave (P1), part of the high voltage evoked potential and of the spontaneous spike, is held to be responsible for the myoclonic jerk. It is demonstrated that P1 is a distinct phenomenon from both the evoked potential and the epileptic spike, and so should be identified as a myoclonus-related potential (MRP).

Action Potentials↗

[Electro-clinical semiology of subintrant temporal lobe seizures].

The authors recorded 10 to 67 TLS (mean 29) in 10 patients (5 M, 5 F; 9 to 41 years, mean 23) during 'acute' (4-6 hours) stereo-EEG exploration. At the onset of seizures, we observed: subjective manifestations (often epigastric), autonomic symptoms, and oro-alimentary 'automatisms'. Affective, unpleasant, manifestations occurred in only 2 patients. The discharges may only affect the Ammon's horn, but they never involve only the amygdala. There is a strong relationship between the duration of the discharge, the number of cerebral structures (temporal and, later, extratemporal) involved in the discharge, and the clinical symptomatology. Somatomotor lateralized manifestations, and gestural 'automatisms' only occur when the discharges spread to extratemporal cerebral structures. The secondary generalizations are very rare and are also linked to a large extratemporal spread of the discharge.

Adolescent↗

Correlation between stereo-EEG, CT-scan and stereotactic biopsy data in epileptic patients with low-grade gliomas.

Stereo-EEG activity, which was recorded precisely from the same location as stereotactic biopsies, was studied on 11 patients with low-grade glioma and severe partial epilepsy. The volume of the lesions varied from 6 to 72 cm3 (mean 23 cm3). A very depressed activity was recorded in all the 25 specimens of solid tumor and in more than half of infiltrated white matter. The background activity was still conserved in all 'normal' fragments, while it is never found in solid tumor; sometimes it could be found in the infiltrating tumors of white or gray matter. High voltage theta and delta activity was recorded in neither 'normal' nor solid tumors. We emphasize the importance of considering the stage of evolution when we evaluate the significance of the stereo-EEG activity.

Adolescent↗

Somatomotor manifestations in temporal lobe seizures.

Some authors include somatomotor manifestations (SMM) among the clinical features of temporal lobe seizures in man; however, data are limited and conflicting. This study describes 101 seizures recorded during stereo-EEG explorations in 50 patients, selected on the basis of the demonstration of onset in temporal lobe structures (stereo-EEG) and the presence of lateralized SMM and/or secondary generalization (SG). SMM and SG were present in about 20% of our population of patients with temporal seizures explored with stereo-EEG, and were only rarely observed during the first 10 s (early SMM) of the seizures (less than 10%). Seizures characterized by early SMM were generally induced by electrical stimulation or chemical activation and only exceptionally spontaneous. In all cases the ictal electrical discharge also involved at an early stage extratemporal structures such as the rolandic operculum, the parietal lobe, or contralateral temporal structures. In most cases (greater than 90%) SMM represented a late (greater than 10 s) event in the ictal symptomatology. The face and the upper limb were by far the most frequently involved segments. Thirty-eight percent of seizures ended up in SG. The associated ictal symptomatology was rather poor and differed from our previous findings in temporal lobe seizures: oroalimentary automatisms were relatively rare, whereas an impairment of consciousness was observed in more than 50% of seizures. The critical electrical discharge had a long duration and always involved extratemporal structures in one or both hemispheres. The involvement of the central region could be demonstrated in all patients with deep electrodes in that region. In conclusion, SMM are not characteristic of temporal lobe seizures, and their presence indicates spreading of the critical discharge beyond the temporal lobe.

Adolescent↗

Unilateral connections between amygdala and hippocampus in man. A study of epileptic patients with depth electrodes.

During stereotaxic explorations of patients suffering from intractable temporal or non-temporal epilepsies, isolated electrical shocks could be delivered through depth electrodes to either the amygdaloid nucleus or the hippocampus, recording of the elicited response being performed from hippocampus or amygdala, respectively, on the same side. All patients displayed hippocampal responses to amygdala stimulation, whatever the type of epilepsy diagnosed. On the other hand, amygdala responses to hippocampal single shocks were only observed in a majority of patients suffering temporal epilepsy, while such back to forth activation could seldom be assessed in a group of patients not clearly characterized as temporal epileptics. It is suggested that subtle changes in excitability of an (indirect) pathway from hippocampus to amygdala are revealed through this procedure of low intensity, short-lasting stimulation, as a correlate of the temporal epileptic process.

Amygdala↗

Prevalence of psychosis in epilepsy as a function of the laterality of the epileptogenic lesion.

Retrospective analysis of the psychiatric diagnoses in a group of patients surgically relieved of medically intractable epilepsy tested the hypothesis that patients with left-sided temporal lobe epileptogenic lesions are at greater risk for the development of a so-called schizophrenic-like psychosis than are those with right-sided temporal lobe epileptogenic lesions. The data confirmed the hypothesis and also demonstrated an increased prevalence of sinistrals in the psychotic group. Thus, epilepsy involving the dominant hemisphere at the inception of the seizure disorder is the significant risk factors. The data also indicated that a psychosis is unlikely to develop in patients with other (nontemporal) forms of focal epilepsy. On the basis of these data and data from other studies, the prevalence of psychosis in patients with poorly controlled temporal lobe epilepsy was estimated to be approximately 10% to 15%.

Adult↗

[Cerebral concentrations of anticonvulsants in patients with epilepsy of tumoral origin (author's transl)].

(1) The concentrations of various anticonvulsants (PB, PHT, CBZ, VPA) were measured in brain specimens from 7 patients who had undergone neurosurgery for a therapy resistant epilepsy of tumoral origin (astrocytoma) in 6 cases, glioblastoma in 1 case). (2) Great interindividual variability of the mean brain/plasma concentration ratios was observed for PB in 5 patients (range: 0.4-1.0). A mean brain/plasma ratio of 1.0 was recorded for PHT and CBZ (one patient each). (3) In the different tissue specimens (7-14) from the same patient AED concentrations varied greatly, even in neighboring areas. (4) Intraindividual variations were more marked in the present group of patients than in previously studied non-tumoral epileptics. (5) No correlation was found between the localization of the lesions and the variations in AED concentrations. (6) Brain AED concentration appeared to be higher in the few samples of non-tumoral tissue and lower in the 'epileptogenic' areas as defined by stereo-EEG seconding. (7) On the basis of these data, the hypothesis can be formulated that the therapy resistance of these patients may be at least partly explained by the presence of low AED concentration (even in presence of 'therapeutic' AED plasma levels) in the epileptogenic areas.

Adolescent↗

[Motor and postural manifestations of temporal lobe epilepsy seizure].

This study reports on 73 epileptic seizures (in 36 patients) originating in the temporal lobe (stereo-EEG) presenting motor or postural signs. Motor symptoms occur rarely in the early phase of seizures (less than 10% of our series) and they are exceptional during spontaneous seizures. The critical electrical discharge always affects extra-temporal structures such as the rolandic operculum, the cingulate gyrus, etc. The occurrence of motor symptoms during the late phase of seizures is associated with a long duration of the critical discharge and, again, with the involvement of extra-temporal structures. The characteristics of the associated clinical signs (e.g., frequent loss of contact with the environment, relatively rare oroalimentary automatic activities), together with the high frequency of secondary 'generalizations' are consistent with the stereo-EEG findings and indicate that these seizures also affect extra-temporal regions.

Adolescent↗

[Continuous partial epilepsy: syndrome and disease].

Twenty three patients are described with a Kojewnikow syndrome in order to identify possible etiological factors. According to their history, clinical and E.E.G. features, patients could be classified into two groups; 1) Eleven patients corresponded to the classical description of the Kojewnikow syndrome: variable age at onset of the disease, rare somatomotor seizures, delay of onset of myoclonic jerks often of long duration, myoclonus limited to a small region, normal neurological examination, stable hemiplegia, normal results of psychometric tests, localised E.E.G. alterations. In most of these patients the etiology of the disorder was known, and the symptoms could be related to a localised lesion of the central cortex; 2) the second group (11 patients) presented with completely different characteristics: early onset of fits (age: 2 to 10 years), presence of other seizure types, short delay of onset of myoclonic jerks, high frequency of seizures, localization of myoclonus over large parts of the body, progressive evolution of a motor syndrome, associated neurological signs and disorders of sleep and behavior, progressive mental deterioration, characteristic E.E.G. pattern with long subclinical paroxysms of slow spikes (sharp waves) with variable localization, diffuse cerebral lesions of unknown etiology were found. Only one patient could not be allocated to either group. Several circumstantial data suggest that patients of the second group may suffer from a slow virus infection. Should this hypothesis be confirmed, a reconsideration of the Kojewnikow syndrome from the etiological standpoint would be of great theoretical and practical interest.

Adolescent↗