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Does Photosensitivity Exist in Focal Epilepsy?

Part III. Clinical Perspective

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The Importance of Photosensitivity for Epilepsy

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Abstract

Photosensitivity is denoted as an abnormal clinical and/or electroencephalographic (EEG) response to visual stimuli and can be proven in EEG laboratory using intermittent photic stimulation (IPS). The epileptiform EEG discharges evoked by Intermittent Photic Stimulation (IPS) are called photoparoxysmal response (PPR) and according to internationally accepted classification, there are four types of PPR where Type 1 and Type 2 are considered focal and Type 3 and 4 generalized PPR.

In the past two decades, publications have shown that photosensitivity is not exclusively related to generalized epilepsy and emphasis has especially been placed on photosensitivity in focal epilepsies such as idiopathic photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy (IPOE/IPOLE), idiopathic occipital lobe epilepsy with late onset (Gastaut type), and benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS, BRE, Rolandic epilepsy).

This chapter will discuss photosensitivity in different focal epilepsy syndromes and focal epilepsies along with instructive EEG samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child Health, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman

    Bosanka Jocic-Jakubi

  2. Clinical Center Nis, Pediatric Clinic, Nis, Serbia

    Bosanka Jocic-Jakubi

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  1. Bosanka Jocic-Jakubi
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Correspondence to Bosanka Jocic-Jakubi .

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  1. Department of Neurosurgery and Epilepsy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Dorothee Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenite

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Jocic-Jakubi, B. (2021). Does Photosensitivity Exist in Focal Epilepsy?. In: Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenite, D. (eds) The Importance of Photosensitivity for Epilepsy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05080-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05080-5_11

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