ICTAL AMAUROSIS - MRI, EEG, AND CLINICAL-FEATURES

We studied seven consecutive patients who experienced amaurosis as a p rominent feature of their seizures. The mean age of seizure onset was 4 years. Six patients had MRI abnormalities including ischemic, trauma tic, and space-occupying lesions, with five limited to the parietal-oc cipital region. Six patients had unilateral, posterior interictal spik e and slow wave complexes. Four patients experienced severe postictal headache and nausea. Absence of a family history of seizures distingui shed the patients with MRI lesions from previously presented series of benign occipital lobe epilepsy. We conclude that the constellation of ictal amaurosis, occipital paroxysms, and postictal migrainous sympto ms does not necessarily signify a benign, nonlesional epilepsy; MRI is recommended for such patients without a family history of similar sei zures.