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Objective: To study the clinical picture of all patients with GNAO1 encephalopathy detected in the Russian Federation. This publication is a multicenter study combining data from epileptological centers in Moscow, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Tyumen., Material and Methods: Nine patients were included, aged 2 to 19 years, with 4 mutations. Male to female sex ratio = 5:4., Results: 8 patients (5 with mutation c.607G>A (p.Gly203Arg), 1 - c.155A>G (Gln52Arg), 1 - c.485G>A (p.Arg162Gln)) had a variant of epileptic encephalopathy, developmental encephalopathy, 1 patient had torsion dystonia without epilepsy (mutation c.713A>G (p.Asp238Gly)). Epileptic seizures in 8 children with epileptic encephalopathy GNAO1 in 100% debuted at 1 month of life, becoming the earliest symptom of the disease. Motor development delayed in 100% of cases. Mental development was not affected only in the case of the dystonic variant. Hyperkinesis (dystonia, choreoathetosis, ballism) followed later, from 2 to 8 months. They were more severe than epilepsy. 4 patients with the c.607G>A (p.Gly203Arg) mutation developed repeated dystonic storms that were resistant to most drugs., Conclusion: Epilepsy in GNAO1 is difficult to treat, but temporary or complete remission is possible. Effective drug strategies for the treatment of hyperkinesis have not yet been developed. Expansion of indications for surgical therapy (DBS) of hyperkinesis in this syndrome is desirable.

Objective: Angelman's syndrome (AS) is accompanied by specific changes in the EEG and genetically determined epilepsy. To analyze the neurological status, changes on EEG, MRI, the course of epilepsy in patients with Angelman syndrome (observed at the Svt. uca`s Institute of Child Neurology and Epilepsy)., Material and Methods: 47 patients with a genetically verified diagnosis of AS (aged 2 to 20 years, mean age 8.5 years; 26 boys and 21 girls) were included. The diagnosis was established by DNA methylation in 32 patients and sequencing in 15 patients (12 cases of deletion and 3 cases of nucleotide substitution were identified)., Results: Of the 47 patients, 45 have epilepsy. The seizures start up to 5 years of age, inclusive. For treatment, patients received various antiepileptic drugs. Long-term follow-up of epilepsy was followed in 40 of 47 patients, and 36 of 40 achieved drug remission. After several years without seizures, 24 out of 30 had a relapse, which was quickly stopped in 23 out of 30 patients. The severity of the disease is influenced by the nature of the mutation and the length of the deletion, as well as persistent epileptic seizures. The most effective AEDs in patients in our study are: in monotherapy, valproic acid, levetiraceiam, ethosuximide; in duotherapy, valproic acid in combination with levetiracetam or ethosuximide, less often levetiracetam with ethosuximide., Conclusions: Early genetic diagnosis of AS facilitates the selection of AET.

Aim: To analyze MR-images of patients with focal epilepsy using a method close to the protocol of epileptic scanning on a MRI-device with the magnetic field tension of 0.4 Tesla., Material and Methods: MRI data of 50 children who underwent examination due to difficult-to-treat or drug-resistant forms of focal epilepsy were analyzed. MRI study was conducted using open-ended device of static magnetic field HITACHI 'APERTO' with the magnetic field tension of 0.4 Tesla. The thickness of the slices and the scan step was performed at 3.0 and 3.5 mm with the use of special positioning of slices in the coronal and axial projections, T2, T1, STIR, FLAIR weighted images (WI) perpendicular and parallel to the long axis of the hippocampus., Results: Potentially epileptogenic structural changes were identified in 37 patients. Abnormalities of brain development of different severity were identified in 16 patients. In 21 cases, the changes were due to the consequences of cerebral vascular catastrophes, neuroinfections, brain traumas affecting the cortical plate. A method close to the epileptic scanning protocol allowed the identification of signs of acute cerebral catastrophes in two patients. In 8 patients, potentially epileptogenic changes after false-negative descriptions of the results of previous MRI studies were newly identified. The most difficult for the diagnosis was the visualization of small structural changes in mediobasal regions of the temporal lobes. Confirmation of this supposition according to the recommended thorough investigation was obtained only in 5 out of 12 patients with suspected small-bore pathological changes in mediobasal temporal regions., Conclusion: Low-tension technique approximated to the epileptic scanning protocol does not allow the reliable diagnosis of small and similar in signal characteristics changes in the visualization of mediobasal temporal lobes regions. It was not possible to reliably differentiate some cortical-subcortical neoplastic formations from various forms of focal cortical dysplasia.

Aim: Studying data of anamnesis, clinical state, electro-encephalographic, brain MRI in patients with Rett syndrome (МЕСР2)., Material and Methods: We studied 11 patients (female) from three to 23 years old with Rett syndrome and MeCP2 mutations. Observation continued 10 years (2006-2015). We analyzed the results of the neurological status, night sleep video-EEG monitoring, MRI., Results and Conclusion: Epilepsy diagnosed in six cases (54, 5%). The overage age of debut of epileptic seizures was 3 years 9 months. There are some types of seizures: generalized, myoclonic, myotonic, tonic, versive, focal motor, atypical absences. Status epilepticus evolved in one patient. Generalized seizures were 56, 25%, focal seizures - 43, 75%. EEG changing marked in nine patients (81, 8%): slowdown back activity, episodes of periodic regional slowdown, regional epileptiform activity, and diffuse epileptiform activity like benign focal epileptiform discharges (BFED). five patients took antiepileptic drugs. All of them had improved during treatment. There were reducing of frequency of the seizures up 50% - 4 cases (80%). one patients with resistant epilepsy was taken combination of drugs (levetirecetam, topiromat, zonisamide, benzodiazepine) with stopping of seizures in the night sleep and decreasing of frequency of daytime seizures to 50%. We believe there is very important of study epilepsy in patients with Rett syndrome and improvement of its treatment.

Aim: To study the anamnesis, clinical state, electro-encephalographic and brain MRI characteristics in patients with Rett syndrome (МЕСР2) and epilepsy., Material and Methods: Eleven female patients, aged from 3 to 23 years, with Rett syndrome and MeCP2 mutations were studied. The study continued for 10 years (2006-2015). Assessment of neurological and mental status, night sleep video-EEG monitoring, MRI were performed., Results and Conclusion: Epilepsy was diagnosed in six cases (54.5%). Mean age at onset of epileptic seizures was 3 years 9 month. The following types of seizures were described: generalized, myoclonic, myotonic, tonic, versive, focal motor, atypical absences. Status epilepticus developed in one patient. Generalized seizures were identified in 56.25%, focal seizures in 43.75%. EEG changes were found in 9 patients (81.8%): slowing of the activity, episodes of periodic regional slowing, regional epileptiform activity and diffuse epileptiform activity, benign focal epileptiform discharges (BFED) of childhood, multiregional epileptiform activity. Five patients were treated with antiepileptic drugs. All of them had improved during treatment: a reduction of frequency of seizures was up to 50% in 4 cases (80%). One patient with resistant epilepsy was treated with the combination of drugs (levetiracetam, topiramate, zonisamide, benzodiazepine) that led to stopping of seizures during night sleep and decrease in the frequency of daytime seizures by 50%. Further research of epilepsy and efficacy of antiepileptic drugs in Rett syndrome is required.

Aim: To study neurologic status, results of video-EEG monitoring and magnetic resonance imaging in children under 3 years old with paroxysms of tonic muscle tension., Material and Methods: One hundred and forty-six infants and young children with motor disturbances and different variants of clinically similar epileptic seizures, hyperkinesis and stereotypes were examined., Results and Conclusion: Cerebral palsy (91%), genetic and chromosomal abnormalities (6%), brain malformations (2%) were identified. Neurological status was characterized by pseudobulbar syndrome (100% of cases), hemiparesis (1%), tetraparesis (81%), diffuse muscular hypotonia (18%), intellectual and speech development delay (76%), autistic behavior (16%). During the prolong video-EEG monitoring, paroxysmal tonic muscle tensions were recorded in all patients: epileptic seizures were observed in 113 patients (77.40%), non-epileptic paroxysms in 51 (34.93%). The combination of epileptic and non-epileptic paroxysms was observed in 18 patients (12.33%). In 4 patients (2.75%), it was not possible to determine the genesis of paroxysms even during the prolong video-EEG-monitoring because of myographic artefacts. Five clinical and electroencephalographic combinations of dystonic attacks, epileptic seizures and epileptiform activity were identified. These data allow improving the diagnosis of epilepsy and avoiding unnecessary treatment with antiepileptic drugs. Our study has shown a high diagnostic value of video-EEG monitoring with the inclusion of sleep in patients with paroxysmal conditions in infancy and early childhood.

Aim: To study a group of patients with secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (SGTCS) in view of nosology, medical history, clinical, electroencephalographic and neuroimaging features., Material and Methods: The study included 471 patients, 244 (51.8%) men and 227 (48.2%) women., Results: SGTCS were observed in many epileptic syndromes. The most frequent were symptomatic focal epilepsy (33.8%), cryptogenic focal epilepsy (23.8%), rolandic epilepsy (12.6%), FEBL-BEDC syndrome (12.3%). Other forms of epilepsy were less frequent. The onset of epilepsy ranged over a wide age range from the first month of life to 18 years. The average age of onset was 5.7±4.96 years. SGTCS as the only type of paroxysms were observed in 28.3% of cases. Two or more types of seizures were observed in 71.7% of patients, three or more types in 39.3%. Epileptiform activity on EEG during long VEM was detected in 91.3% of patients with SGTCS. In 37.2% of patients, benign epileptiform discharges of childhood were recorded. Treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEP) led to complete remission in 57.1% of cases of epilepsy associated with SGTCS. A reduction of the frequency of seizures by 50% or more was found in 33.6% of patients treated with AEP. No effect was observed in 9.3% of patients., Conclusion: Significant differences in the prognosis and therapeutic approaches to specific epileptic syndromes associated with SGTCS necessitate the use of the entire spectrum of diagnostic measures, which should include careful history taking, clinical examination, video-EEG monitoring with the inclusion of sleep dynamics, MRI / CT brain, genetic testing.

The lecture contains information on terminology, etiology and pathogenesis of stroke in children. The current statistics on the incidence of stroke in the pediatric population, prognosis and principles of early diagnosis are presented. Different states, complicating stroke in children are described.

Objectives: Epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) is characterized by localized continuous jerks, from time to time with spreading Jacksonian seizures and, more rarely, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures. EPC has numerous possible etiologies. In this paper we describe EPC in the tick-borne Russian spring-summer encephalitis (TBRSSE) and compare it with Rasmussen syndrome., Methods and Methods: We included patients with EPC in TBRSSE (between 2003 and 2010). The diagnosis was verified by immunology (antibodies against TBRSSE virus). The patients were followed 1-7 (mean 3.4) years., Results: We studied 10 patients (eight males, age 10-21 years) with MRI and video-EEG. Nine developed EPC after acute TBRSSE (meningoencephalitic form), and one had a tick bite without clinical symptoms of encephalitis, but with subsequent EPC. All patients came from Ural and Siberia. The onset was at age 4-14 (mean 8.6 years). The interval from onset of TBRSSE or the tick bite to seizure onset was 1 day-4 years. We identified three phases of clinical course EPC in TBRSSE: (i) acute (meningoencephalitic/encephalitic); (ii) development of EPC; and (iii) chronic EPC. The effect of antiepileptic drugs differed according to seizure types., Conclusion: EPC caused by TBRSSE is relatively frequent in the Eastern parts of the Russian Federation but not west of the Ural. Unlike Rasmussen encephalitis, EPC with TBRSSE does not progress even in the long term. It appears as disabling but not fatal condition with a time course where three phases can be distinguished., (© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

This report addresses behavioral abnormalities in children with cerebellar anomalies demonstrated on MRI scans. Published data are presented showing an interaction between cerebellar pathology and early childhood autism. The cerebellum is involved not only in movement coordination, but also in social adaptation and verbal communication. The genes expressed in the cerebellum during childhood are identical to those expressed in the hippocampus. We have observed 20 children with MRI-identified agenesis of the cerebellar vermis and behavioral abnormalities; children were aged 3-15 (mean 7.05) years and there were 12 males and eight females. A variety of autistic characteristics were identified in these children.