The relationship between photosensitive temporal lobe epilepsy and eye closure activity

We describe a 16-year-old female patient affected by photo-induced temporal lobe epilepsy. During intermittent photic stimulation she showed a photopa roxysmal response in the EEG. This case was diagnosed from clinical symptom s, single photon emission computer tomography, and EEG data. The clinical s ymptoms were relieved by the administration of carbamazepine. As these phot oparoxysmal responses were observed not only during photic stimulation, but also when patient was closing her eyes during an eye-opening test in compl ete darkness, we propose the existence of an alternative pathway such as fr om the extraocular muscles or orbicularis oculi, or activation of cortical activity due to the change of consciousness by closing eyes in inducing pho tosensitive epilepsy. We describe an additional case and discuss a novel aspect of photo-induced temporal lobe epilepsy. (C) 2000 BEA Trading Ltd.