Epileptic seizure semiology in different age groups

Aims. Seizure semiology provides information about the eloquent cortex involved during a seizure and helps to generate a hypothesis regarding the localization of the epileptogenic zone (EZ), a prerequisite for surgical management of epilepsy. We aimed to study the seizure semiology among all different age groups to better characterize semiological changes that occur with age.Methods. We performed a retrospective review of video-EEG data in paediatric and adult patients admitted to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit over a three-year period. Authors independently reviewed and classified the seizure semiology while blinded to clinical, EEG, and neuroimaging data. A total of 270 patients were included in the study.Results. The most frequent EZ in patients who were one month to three years old was undetermined. Focal epilepsy became more frequent in patients older than 10 years. Among patients with focal epilepsy, a posterior quadrant EZ was most frequent in children younger than three years old, a temporal EZ between three and six years old, and a frontal EZ between six and 10 years old. The temporal lobe was the most frequent location for focal EZ in patients older than 18 years. Auras, automotor seizures, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures were extremely infrequent in patients younger than 10 years old. The youngest patient with auras was 5.7 years old. The youngest patient with automotor seizures was 3.7 years old. We identified only three patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures who were younger than 10 years (aged six months, 6.6 years, and nine years, respectively). Patients younger than three years exhibited mostly generalized simple motor seizures and hypomotor seizures. Generalized epileptic spasms, generalized tonic seizures, and generalized clonic seizures were infrequent in patients older than 10 years.Conclusion. Seizure semiology and electroencephalographic changes most likely reflect the maturation of cortical functions.