The peri-ictal state: Cortical excitability changes within 24 h of a seizure

Abstract

In this study, transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to investigate motor cortical excitability changes in the peri-ictal period, in drug-naive new-onset epilepsy patients. Eighty-seven studies were performed on 58 patients (23 with idiopathic generalized epilepsy and 35 with focal epilepsy) within 72 h before or after a seizure. Fifty studies in 35 patients were within 24 h of a seizure. In all 58 patients, an interictal baseline study was performed, at least 14 days from a seizure. Motor threshold and paired pulse recovery curve results obtained at short (215 ms) and long (50400 ms) interstimulus intervals in each hemisphere (at <24 h pre- or post-seizure and 2472 h pre- and post-seiz..