PHOTOSENSITIVITY AND EPILEPSY: CURRENT CONCEPTS AND PERSPECTIVES − A NARRATIVE REVIEW

• Published in: Seizure (London, England) Vol. 50; pp. 209 - 218
• Main Authors: da Silva, A. Martins, Leal, Bárbara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - pathology; Brain - physiopathology; Epilepsy; Epilepsy, Reflex - etiology; Epilepsy, Reflex - pathology; Epilepsy, Reflex - physiopathology; Female; Humans; IGE; JME; Male; Neurology; Photoparoxystic Response; Photosensitivity; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Photosensitivity; JME; Epilepsy; IGE; Photoparoxystic Response
• ISSN: 1059-1311; 1532-2688
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2017.04.001

Highlights • Photosensitive Epilepsy (PSE) is more frequent in younger females, time limited and closely related to JME. Functional and structural abnormalities provide evidence for the involvement of the visual cortex in PSE. • PPR are restricted to the occipital lobe at low stimuli frequencies spreading to parietal and central regions at higher. • Despite the relevance of the familial transmission of epileptiform IPS pattern no evident association between PSE and specific genes has been identified, so far. • Preventive measures include stimuli manipulations: (duration, frequency, filters protection). Because of the higher frequency of PSE in young females, the risks and benefits of drug treatment need to be carefully weighed up. Given the gender/age group most commonly affected by PSE, the risks and benefits of drug treatment need to be carefully weighed up. • Although there are indications of ethnic differences (with a lower incidence in Black Africans) the comparisons between series are difficult. An improvement in comparison studies, based on similar methodologies, is necessary.