A Case of Gelastic Seizure and Hypothalamic Hamartoma

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 14(1); 1996 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1996;14(1): 302-305.

시상하부 과오종에 동반된 흥소발작 1례

박정욱, 이정욱, 김영인, 이광수, 김범생

가톨릭대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실

A Case of Gelastic Seizure and Hypothalamic Hamartoma

Jeong Wook Park, M.D., Jeong Wook Lee, M.D., Yeong In Kim, M.D., Kwang Soo Lee, M.D. Beum Saeng Kim, M.D.

Department of Neurology, Catholic University Medical college

Abstract

Gelastic Seizure(Ictal laughter) is frequently associated with hypothalamic hamartoma that is congenital tumor composed of heterotrophic and hyperplastic tissue located in the hypothalamus near the interpeduncular cistern, tuber cinereum, and mamillary body. The seizure usually begins in infancy or childhood and may be accompanied with precocious puberty and cognitive decline. A 14 year-old boy visited to our hospital because of paroxysmal frequent involuntary laughing regardless of emotional change. Brain MRI showed nonenhancing hypothalamic mass that had isointensity with gray matter on T1W1 and hyperintensity on T2Wl. So it was suspected that he had a gelastic seizure accompanied with hypothalamic hamartoma.