Introduction:

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy is considered the most common of the focal epilepsies, with characteristic signs and symptoms that help define its diagnosis.

Contents:

In the natural history of the disease, seizures can begin in the first years of life, usually as febrile seizures with a period of remission, to reappear in adolescence or in the young adult. The electroencephalographic presentation has a characteristic pattern with the appearance of interictal sharp waves and spikes in the anterior temporal region, usually unilateral, and with generally theta ictal activity in the same location. The most common cause is hippocampal sclerosis. Treatment with antiseizure medication can control epilepsy. However, in some cases evolution of drug resistance can occur, leading to epilepsy surgery as the most appropriate treatment, based on its good results.

Conclusions:

This review focuses on the description of the electroclinical characteristics of temporal mesial epilepsy, in order to make an early diagnosis and adequate treatment, thus providing a better prognosis and quality of life for patients with epilepsy and their families.

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