Bilateral parasagittal parieto-occipital polymicrogyria (BPPOP)

This malformation  was detected using MRI in a series of patients with partial epilepsy, most of whom had seemingly normal CT scans. The abnormal cortex extended posteriorly to involve the occipital lobe just below the parieto-occipital sulcus and anteriorly to immediately behind the precuneus and superior parietal lobule. IQs ranged from average to mild retardation. Several patients presented deficits in neuropsychological tasks requiring performance under time constraints, suggesting that this malformation may result in cognitive slowing. In the patients reported, seizures had started between ages 20 months and 15 years (mean 9 years) and were intractable in most. Patients had complex partial seizures, which were preceded in some by sensory symptoms. Automatisms were not a prominent feature of seizure semiology. Clinical seizure symptomatology remained constant during follow-up.

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