Echographia as a symptom of interictal state in an epileptic patient: a case report

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1997 Feb;51(1):27-30. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1997.tb02362.x.

Abstract

Echographia is a phenomenon in which a patient continuously translates verbal stimuli into writing. We encountered a patient with epilepsy who developed visual echographia during interictal periods. In this case, echographia was observed during two different periods, namely the period of disturbed consciousness after the epileptic seizure and the period of clear consciousness after suppression of the seizures. Disinhibition due to disturbance of the consciousness is considered to have been the cause of echographia in the former period. In the latter period, it is considered that echographia was caused by the release of lower function from suppression of upper function by brain dysfunction, as the after effect of status epilepticus. As echographia can be observed in epileptic patients, attention and careful observation by epileptologists is needed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Consciousness
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / complications
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy
  • Epilepsy / psychology*
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / drug therapy
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / etiology
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Status Epilepticus / drug therapy
  • Status Epilepticus / psychology
  • Writing

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants