ObjectivesTo compare the clinical features and the effects on cognition, emotion, and prognosis of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) between occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).MethodsWe collected the clinical data of the patients with OLE and TLE from the Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University from January 2016 to May 2018. We measured the patients with Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), digital span, Auditory verbal memory test (AVMT), Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Chinese version of the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (c-NDDI-E) and followed up for 1 year.Results① After 1 year’s follow-up, the frequency of the two groups decreased compared with the first visit (Z=3.734, P=0.000) and the extent was similar (Z=−0.290, P=0.772). In group OLE, occipital aura was 45.9% (17 cases) and temporal aura was 37.8% (14 cases). In TLE group, temporal aura was 49.3% (33 cases) and occipital aura 7.5% (5 cases). In OLE group, post-seizure headache was found in 17 cases (45.9%), which was more than the 15 cases (22.4%) in TLE group (χ2=6.210, P=0.013). ② 30 cases (81.1%) in OLE group interictal discharge involved lobes outside occipitotemporal lobe, 4 of which had a wide-lead-involved discharge, and 19 cases (28.4%) in TLE group involved lobes outside temporal lobe, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (χ2=26.592, P=0.000). ③ There was no significant difference in the score of MOCA and AVMT in the group of OLE-A and OLE-B, either the group of TLE-A and TLE-B. The score of AVMT in group OLE-A was higher than that in group TLE-A (t=3.193, P=0.002), and that in group OLE-B was higher than that in group TLE-B (t=2.264, P=0.029). There was no significant difference in GAD-7, PHQ-9, and c-NDDI-E (P>0.05). After follow-up for 1 year, the scores were compared with its initial scales. The score of GAD-7 (Z=−2.561, P=0.010), PHQ-9 (Z=−2.053, P=0.040) and c-NDDI-E (Z=−2.493, P=0.013) all decreased. The score of GAD-7 (r=0.281, P=0.021) and c-NDDI-E (r=0.456, P=0.000) have a positive correlation with the frequency of seizure. Therapeutic effect: In OLE group, the efficiency of carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine group was 58.82% and of levetiracetam group was 83.33%. in TLE group, the efficiency of carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine was 72.50% and of levetiracetam group was 70.00%. There was no significant difference between group OLE and group TLE in the curative effect of carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine group (χ2=1.033, P=0.310) or levetiracetam group (χ2=0.356, P=0.551). After 1 year’s follow-up, the frequency of OLE group was 0.00 (0.000, 2.750) times per month, and the TLE group was 0.00 (0.000, 1.500) times per month. There was no significant difference between the two groups (Z=−0.226, P=0.822). At the follow-up, the frequency of seizure in the two groups was lower than that at the first visit (P=0.000). The frequency of seizure in TLE group was similar to that in OLE group (=−0.648, P=0.517). After 1 year, 5 patients (13.51%) in OLE group were newly diagnosed as refractory epilepsy and 6 patients (9.00%) in TLE group There was no significant difference in the rate of the newly diagnosed refractory epilepsy between the two groups (2=0.524, P=0.469).ConclusionOccipital aura and post-seizure headache are specific to OLE, which can be used as one of the basis for diagnosis of OLE. Epileptiform discharge in OLE is more likely to spread out in multiple cerebral lobes, while epileptiform discharge in TLE is confined to temporal lobe and the area near it. The cognitive impairment in OLE or TLE is not related to the duration of the disease. The degree of depression is positively correlated with the frequency of seizure. The responses to AEDs of OLE and TLE are similar.
ObjectiveTo observe the changes in visual field defect before and after treatment in patients with acute solitary occipital lobe cerebral infarction.MethodsFrom January 2017 to May 2019, 59 patients with hemianopsia who were diagnosed as acute occipital lobe cerebral infarction in Henan Provincial People's Hospital were selected. There were 35 males (59.3%) and 24 females (40.7%); aged from 50 to 72 years, with an average age of 62.86 ± 6.10 years. There were 23 patients of right occipital cerebral infarction and 36 patients of left occipital cerebral infarction. Lesions involved 41 patients in the striated area, 8 patients involved the occipital pole, and 23 patients involved visual radiation. All patients underwent standard medical treatment. All patients underwent visual field examination before treatment, and modified rankin scale (mRS) was used to evaluate the level of visual disability after cerebral infarction. At 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, 54 patients underwent at least one visual field examination in outpatient or inpatient follow-up visits, and 5 patients were lost to follow-up; 49 patients received repeated mRS scores. The visual field defect and mRS score of patients before and after treatment were compared and analyzed. The improvement of visual field defect in the horizontal direction exceeding 10°or the vertical direction exceeding 15°was defined as improvement, otherwise it was defined as no improvement. According to the type of visual field defect, the patients were divided into two groups: complete homonymous hemianopia and incomplete homonymous hemianopia. The cumulative visual field improvement rate of the two groups of patients was calculated. An mRS score of 0 to 2 was defined as a good prognosis, and ＞2 was defined as a poor prognosis.ResultsBefore treatment, of the 59 patients, 47 were complete homonymous hemianopsia and 12 were incomplete. Of the 47 patients with complete homonymous hemianopia, 26 patients had hemianopia on the right side of both eyes, 21 patients had hemianopia on the left side of both eyes; 32 patients with macular avoidance (72.3%). Among the 12 patients of incomplete homonymous hemianopia, 10 patients of quadrant blindness included 6 patients of upper quadrant and 4 patients of lower quadrant; 2 patients of partial isotropic hemianopia on one side. Of the 54 patients reviewed after treatment, the visual field improved at the last follow-up of 25 patients (46.3%), and there was no improvement in 29 patients (53.7%). The cumulative visual field improvement rate of 47 patients with complete hemianopia hemianopia before treatment was 37.2% (16/43). The cumulative visual field improvement rate of 11 patients with incomplete isotropic hemianopia before treatment was 81.8% (9/11). There was a statistically significant difference in cumulative visual field improvement between the two groups of patients (χ2 = 7.011, P＜0.05). Before treatment, 59 patients had mRS scores of 1 to 2 points in 15 patients (25.4%), and 44 patients with 2 points or more (74.6%). Of the 49 patients reviewed after treatment, 28 (57.1%) had a good prognosis and 21 (42.9%) had a poor prognosis.ConclusionsThe visual field defect of patients with homonymous hemianopsia after acute occipital infarction may be improved after treatment. The improvement mostly occurs within 1 m after treatment, and patients with incomplete homonymous hemianopsia have more significant improvements than those with complete homonymous hemianopsia.
Photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy (POLE) is a rare idiopathic reflex focal epilepsy that can occur in all age groups. It is characterized by occipital lobe seizures induced by flashing stimuli (flashing sunlight, video games, TV commercials and programs, etc.). Photoparoxysmal response on EEG is induced by intermittent photic stimulation; Ictal EEG shows rapid spike rhythms are originated from the occipital region. There are no obvious abnormalities in brain image. POLE responds well to anti-seizure medications and has a good prognosis. This article reviews the research progress on POLE in order to improve the clinician’s understanding and reduce the rates of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.