Two children with seizures induced by physical exercise are described.
Epilepsy was present from early childhood (age: 4 and 5 months), but
the precipitating effect of exercise became evident only later (age: 2
0 months and 3.5 years). Several treatment regimes were tried, but no
satisfactory seizure control could be achieved. In both children no et
iological factor was known. MRI, CT and repeated interictal waking and
sleeping EEG recordings were normal Hyperventilation and photostimula
tion had no effect on the EEG. Physical exercise (e.g., playing footba
ll) induced clinical seizures and generalized epileptiform EEG abnorma
lities as recorded by ambulatory cassette EEG (Oxford). Cardiac arrhyt
hmias were excluded by concomitant EEG recording. Extensive metabolic
and endocrinologic investigation during and after seizure induction ga
ve normal results. Thus, the pathophysiologic mechanism for exercise-i
nduced seizures remained unclear.