TRANSIENT CORTICAL BLINDNESS AFTER A MINO R HEAD-INJURY IN AN 8-YEAR-OLD

An eight-year-old girl experienced cortical blindness following a mino r head injury without loss of consciousness. Findings included confusi on, absent blink reflex, and absent optokinetic nystagmus. The pupilla ry reflexes and optic fundi were normal. Symptoms resolved completely within eight hours. The patient had no recollection of the injury. An EEG recorded 24 hours after the injury showed bursts of slow delta wav es in the occipital region with no recruitment response to photonic st imulation. These features are similar to those in previously reported cases of injury-related cortical blindness. The clinical expression an d presumptive pathophysiological mechanisms of this condition are revi ewed herein.