M. Purucker et al., REVERSIBLE FOCAL BRAIN EDEMA IN A PATIENT WITH MELAS (MITOCHONDRIAL MYOPATHY, ENCEPHALOPATHY, LACTIC-ACIDOSIS, AND STROKE-LIKE EPISODES) SYNDROME, Journal of epilepsy, 9(2), 1996, pp. 79-82
We describe a patient with MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopat
hy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes) syndrome and frequent b
rief partial seizures arising from the occipital lobe. After a cluster
of elementary and complex partial seizures, the patient developed sig
nificant reversible focal occipital brain edema. We suggest that the p
athogenesis of this prominent edema is a consequence of chronically de
creased nucleotide levels in the brain, leading to an altered influenc
e of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters on membrane ion flux.