BACKGROUND: The current understanding of the mechanisms underlying photosensitivity is still limited, although most studies point to a hyperexcitability of the visual cortex. METHODS: Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, we determined the resting motor threshold (rMT) and the phosphene threshold (PT) in 33 patients with IGEs (8 with photosensitivity) compared with 12 healthy controls. RESULTS: Eleven controls (92%) reported phosphenes compared with fifteen (46%) patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (p=0.015). Phosphenes were reported more frequently among patients with epilepsy with photosensitivity (87.5%) than in patients with active epilepsy without photosensitivity (30.8%) (p=0.038) and patients with epilepsy in remission without photosensitivity (33.3%) (p=0.054); no differences were found between patients with epilepsy with photosensitivity and controls (p=0.648). Resting motor threshold and phosphene threshold were significantly higher among patients with epilepsy (active epilepsy or epilepsy in remission without photosensitivity) compared to healthy controls (p<0.01). Conversely, patients with active epilepsy and photosensitivity had significantly lower values than controls (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The marked decrease in PT and the high phosphene prevalence in patients with IGE with photosensitivity indicate a regional hyperexcitability of the primary visual cortex. Results of this study also suggest that the PT may serve as a biomarker for excitability in patients with IGE and photosensitivity.

Visual cortex hyperexcitability in idiopathic generalized epilepsies with photosensitivity: A TMS pilot study.

BRIGO, Francesco;BONGIOVANNI, Luigi Giuseppe;FIASCHI, Antonio;MANGANOTTI, Paolo
2013-01-01

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The current understanding of the mechanisms underlying photosensitivity is still limited, although most studies point to a hyperexcitability of the visual cortex. METHODS: Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, we determined the resting motor threshold (rMT) and the phosphene threshold (PT) in 33 patients with IGEs (8 with photosensitivity) compared with 12 healthy controls. RESULTS: Eleven controls (92%) reported phosphenes compared with fifteen (46%) patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (p=0.015). Phosphenes were reported more frequently among patients with epilepsy with photosensitivity (87.5%) than in patients with active epilepsy without photosensitivity (30.8%) (p=0.038) and patients with epilepsy in remission without photosensitivity (33.3%) (p=0.054); no differences were found between patients with epilepsy with photosensitivity and controls (p=0.648). Resting motor threshold and phosphene threshold were significantly higher among patients with epilepsy (active epilepsy or epilepsy in remission without photosensitivity) compared to healthy controls (p<0.01). Conversely, patients with active epilepsy and photosensitivity had significantly lower values than controls (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The marked decrease in PT and the high phosphene prevalence in patients with IGE with photosensitivity indicate a regional hyperexcitability of the primary visual cortex. Results of this study also suggest that the PT may serve as a biomarker for excitability in patients with IGE and photosensitivity.
2013
idiopathic generalized epilepsy; motor threshold; phosphene threshold; photosensitivity; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/536949
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