Ictal SPECT in paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia. Case report and review of the literature

Purpose: Paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia (PNKD) should be included in the list of differential diagnosis in patients with refractory epilepsy. A lthough the pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie this disorder remai n controversial, it is now accepted that the basal ganglia are the anatomic al substrate responsible for it. Material and methods: We report a 16-year-old mentally retarded male with P NKD admitted for video-EEG monitoring and ictal SPECT, which showed hyperpe rfusion on the right caudate and thalamus. Conclusion: This case supports more evidence for the involvement of the cau date nucleus and thalamus in the mechanisms responsible for the production of PNKD. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.