Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy
Volume 19, Issue 5 , Pages 306-309, June 2010

Orgasm-induced seizures: Male studied with ictal electroencephalography

  • Anshuman Sengupta

      Affiliations

    • Medical Assessment Unit, Pontefract General Infirmary, Friarwood Lane, Pontefract WF8 1PL, UK
  • ,
  • Ali Mahmoud

      Affiliations

    • Calderdale Royal Hospital, Salterhebble, Halifax HX3 0PW, UK
    • Tel.: +44 01422 357171.
  • ,
  • Shwe Z. Tun

      Affiliations

    • Calderdale Royal Hospital, Salterhebble, Halifax HX3 0PW, UK
    • Tel.: +44 01422 357171.
  • ,
  • Peter Goulding

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology, Martin Wing, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 1422 357171.

Received 5 October 2009; received in revised form 6 April 2010; accepted 9 April 2010. published online 14 May 2010.

Abstract 

Reflex seizures can occur in response to a variety of stimuli, both sensory and emotional. Common triggers include light and music; however, in a growing number of case reports, the phenomenon of sexual activity triggering epileptic seizures is described. The majority of these case reports have been in women so far, and most have been found to localise to the right cerebral hemisphere on interictal electroencephalography (EEG). We report the case of a 34-year-old male with orgasm-induced seizures, recorded on ictal EEG. This gentleman's electrophysiology localised his seizure focus to the left cerebral hemisphere, making his case atypical in comparison with the majority of previous reports. Orgasm-induced seizures are an increasingly well-described phenomenon and we suggest that this should be taken into account when assessing patients with possible reflex seizures.

Keywords: Reflex, Seizures, Orgasm

 

PII: S1059-1311(10)00082-8

doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2010.04.007

Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy
Volume 19, Issue 5 , Pages 306-309, June 2010