Intractable temporal lobe epilepsy with rare spikes is less severe than with frequent spikes

Abstract

This study identified a subgroup of patients with nonlesional intractable TLE with no or few IEA. Oligospikers have a later age at seizure onset, less frequent and less severe seizures, besides a lower incidence of HA. The similarity of etiologic factors compared with patients with frequent IEA suggests that the rarity of spikes could reflect a disease not really distinct but less severe, even though still intractable and incapacitating enough to consider surgery. In spite of the absence or paucity of IEA, oligospikers have excellent surgical outcome.