Ictal laughter and crying: Should they be classified as automatisms?

We describe a young girl with intractable focal dyscognitive seizures associated with gelastic and dacrystic features. However, neither laughter nor crying was correlated with a stereotyped electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern or involvement of a particular brain region. Additionally, based on the variety of epileptogenic foci associated with GS and DS in the literature, laughter and sobbing appear to represent ictal or peri-ictal automatisms.

Source: Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports - December 8, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research