Frontal lobe epilepsy manifesting as vertigo: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Frontal lobe epilepsy is a common neurological disorder with a broad spectrum of symptoms. Frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with vertigo is extremely rare, and the relevant pathogenesis remains unclear. Herein, we report a case of frontal lobe epilepsy manifesting as vertigo, and we review the relevant literature. A 34-year-old woman presented with a 10-year history of general tonic–clonic seizures. In the month prior to admission, she experienced nocturnal seizures on two occasions. Video electroencephalogram monitoring showed frequent clinical seizures during which the patient felt transient vertigo. The ictal electroencephalogram revealed a medium-amplitude spike and slow wave complex originating from the frontal lobes. The patient was treated with oral sodium valproate, levetiracetam, and lamotrigine. After a 6-month follow-up period, her seizures were well controlled. Our findings expand the symptom spectrum of epilepsy, suggesting that vertigo can be an uncommon clinical manifestation of frontal lobe epilepsy. Although the pathological correlation between vertigo and epilepsy remains elusive, our findings indicate that vestibular cortical neurons may participate in periodic epileptiform discharges of the frontal lobe. Clinicians should be aware of a potential diagnosis of epilepsy in patients presenting with vertigo as the onset symptom because this condition is usually underdiagnosed.