Graphogenic epilepsy: a variant of language-induced epilepsy distinguished from reading- and praxis-induced epilepsy

We report a case of graphogenic epilepsy as a variant of language-induced epilepsy. A 25-year-old, right-handed woman had noticed for the previous 10 years that writing almost always provoked jerks or a jerking sensation in her right hand. No other triggers, including facets of language function such as reading and speaking, elicited any epileptic seizures. Ictal EEG demonstrated an initial left central abnormality. In our report, we stress that graphogenic seizures as an expression of language-induced epilepsy should not be confused with those that are manifestations of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and that writing and reading trigger different facets of motor manifestations. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of BEA Trading Ltd.