Monozygous Twin Brothers Discordant for Photosensitive Epilepsy: First Report of Possible Visual Priming in Humans

• Published in: Epilepsia (Copenhagen) Vol. 46; no. 9; pp. 1545 - 1549
• Main Authors: De Haan, Gerrit‐Jan, Trenité, Dorothee Kasteleijn–Nolst, Stroink, Hans, Parra, Jaime, Voskuyl, Rob, Van Kempen, Marian, Lindhout, Dick, Bertram, Ed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 350 Main Street , Malden , MA 02148 , USA and 9600 Garsington Road , Oxford , OX4 2XG , England Blackwell Science Inc 01.09.2005; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anticonvulsants. Antiepileptics. Antiparkinson agents; Biological and medical sciences; Discordant twins; Diseases in Twins - diagnosis; Diseases in Twins - genetics; Diseases of the nervous system; Electroencephalography - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Epilepsy, Reflex - diagnosis; Epilepsy, Reflex - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Kindling; Kindling, Neurologic - genetics; Male; Medical sciences; Monozygous twins; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phenotype; Photic Stimulation - adverse effects; Photosensitive epilepsy; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Recreation; Siblings; Twins, Monozygotic; Visual priming; Human; Photic epilepsy; Nervous system diseases; Kindling; Priming effect; Epilepsy; Central nervous system disease; Photosensitive epilepsy-Kindling-Visual priming- Monozygous twins-Discordant twins; Monozygotic twin; Cerebral disorder
• ISSN: 0013-9580; 1528-1167
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2005.44104.x

Purpose: The interaction of genetic predisposition and the environment in the development of epilepsy is often discussed, but, aside from some animal reflex epilepsies, little evidence supports such interaction in the development of reflex epilepsy in humans. Methods: We describe the history of a 16‐year‐old boy in whom photosensitive epilepsy developed after a period of weekly exposures to high‐intensity light flashes. Results: Both he and his clinically unaffected monozygotic twin were found to be photosensitive. Conclusions: This case report suggests that some genetic forms of human reflex epilepsy may be elicited by repeated environmental exposure to the appropriate stimulus, similar to some of the stimulus‐induced epilepsies seen in animals.