A change in electrographic activity and blood flow during interictal and postictal psychotic states in a patient with epilepsy

Abstract

We report a patient with epilepsy who experienced interictal and postictal psychoses. Her psychiatric symptoms consisted of grandiose and fantastic delusions during both psychotic states. During remission, electroencephalography showed bitemporal epileptiform discharges that were predominant in the right temporal region. Epileptiform discharges present during the psychotic states were predominant in the left temporal region. Single-photon emission computed tomography showed hyperperfusion in the left basal ganglia during the interictal psychotic state and hyperperfusion in the right temporal lobe and left basal ganglia during the postictal psychotic state. We suggest that the occurrence of postictal and interictal psychotic states in this patient were associated with a common change in electrographic activity and blood flow.

Keywords

• Postictal psychosis
• Interictal psychosis
• Epilepsy
• Temporal lobe
• Electrical activity
• Blood flow