Review in Autism and Epilepsy

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder of undefined etiology characterized by social, communication deficits, and restricted interests/repetitive or isolated behaviors. The determination of autism is made in early life as the patients create unusual or decreased social interaction and communication, together with stereotypic movement. In most patients, a delay in verbal and nonverbal communication is watched, whereas a few patients never accomplish valuable language. Patients with autism and epilepsy may develop any type of seizure and maybe all type of seizures. Interestingly, not absolutely understood relationship between each and a lot of research in progress concerning these relations. In patients with autism, some they do not develop seizures; however, abnormal paroxysmal electroencephalographic “EEG” activity can be seen in up to 30%. For that reason, important investigation of patients with autistic spectrum disorders, and any kids with language regression, should always include sleep recording EEG in order to exclude acquired epileptic aphasia (Landau-Kleffner syndrome). The complex relationship between autism and epilepsy provides a bridge to further knowledge of shared neuronal networks for both the autisms and the epilepsies We review the literature to elucidate the relationships between epilepsy and autism.