PMU-Autor/inn/en
Nardone RaffaeleAbstract
BACKGROUND
The current understanding of the mechanisms underlying photosensitivity is still limited, although most studies point to a hyperexcitability of the visual cortex.
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.
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).
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.
Useful keywords (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
Adolescent
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Epilepsy, Generalized/complications
Epilepsy, Generalized/pathology*
Female
Humans
Linear Models
Male
Middle Aged
Phosphenes/physiology*
Photosensitivity Disorders/complications
Photosensitivity Disorders/pathology*
Pilot Projects
Sensory Thresholds
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*
Visual Cortex/physiopathology*
Young Adult
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