Experiential reflex epilepsy demonstrated with stereoEEG

Abstract

Purpose

Reflex epilepsies are epileptic disorders in which seizures are consistently provoked by specific, identifiable stimuli—typically sensory or cognitive. In patients with memory-induced seizures, it has long been debated whether the memory acts as the trigger for the seizure or represents its first clinical manifestation.

Methods

We present the case of a 25-year-old woman with reflex seizures triggered by the recollection of specific autobiographical memories.

Results

Using stereo-electroencephalography (sEEG), we captured the reflex phenomenon induced by a voluntary retrieval of memory and identified activation patterns within physiologic memory networks contributing to seizure initiation.

Conclusion

This case highlights the complex interplay between memory-related cortical circuits, and ictogenic mechanisms, offering new insights into the dynamic landscape of cortical excitability in reflex epilepsies.