Lennox–Gastaut syndrome
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| Lennox–Gastaut syndrome | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | N/A |
| Pronounce | N/A |
| Specialty | N/A |
| Symptoms | Seizures, intellectual disability, developmental delay |
| Complications | N/A |
| Onset | Childhood |
| Duration | Long-term |
| Types | Atonic seizures, tonic seizures, atypical absence seizures |
| Causes | Often unknown, can be due to brain injury, genetic disorders, infections |
| Risks | Developmental delay, intellectual disability |
| Diagnosis | EEG, clinical history, neuroimaging |
| Differential diagnosis | Dravet syndrome, West syndrome, Doose syndrome |
| Prevention | N/A |
| Treatment | Antiepileptic drugs, ketogenic diet, vagus nerve stimulation, corpus callosotomy |
| Medication | N/A |
| Prognosis | Variable, often involves lifelong management |
| Frequency | Rare |
| Deaths | N/A |
Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a complex, rare, and severe childhood-onset epilepsy. It is characterized by multiple and concurrent seizure types, cognitive dysfunction, and slow spike waves on electroencephalogram (EEG). It typically presents between the ages of 3 and 5 years and can persist into adulthood.
Symptoms[edit]
The syndrome is characterized by frequent seizures and different seizure types; it is often accompanied by developmental delay, and psychological and behavioral problems.
Seizure types[edit]
The most common seizure types in LGS are tonic (stiffening) and atonic (drop) seizures. Tonic seizures often occur during sleep. Atonic seizures lead to sudden falls and are therefore called "drop attacks". A third type of seizure, atypical absence seizures, leads to a decrease in muscle tone.
Causes[edit]
The cause of LGS is often unknown. However, in some cases, brain malformations, severe head injuries, central nervous system infections, and genetic or metabolic conditions can be identified.
Diagnosis[edit]
Diagnosis is based on clinical observation and EEG findings. The EEG in LGS often shows a characteristic pattern called slow spike-wave complexes.
Treatment[edit]
Treatment is typically with antiepileptic medications such as valproate, lamotrigine, felbamate, or topiramate. There is no single best treatment for all children with LGS.
Prognosis[edit]
The prognosis for individuals with LGS varies. There is no cure for the syndrome, but the seizures can be controlled with medication in some cases.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
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