Alice in wonderland syndrome in an elderly patient with focal onset epilepsy

Abstract

Alice in wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a rare perceptual disorder characterized by subjective distortions of visual and somatosensory perception. Symptoms of AIWS are attributable to functional and structural changes of the visual and somatosensory perceptual system; however, few reports have investigated the pathophysiology of AIWS with regard to epilepsy, especially ictal electroencephalogram (EEG) changes. Herein, we describe the case of an 82-year-old woman with focal onset epilepsy presenting with AIWS, whose seizures were documented by video-EEG monitoring. Video-EEG revealed multiple focal impaired awareness seizures, and ictal EEG changes arose from the right occipital region with small periodic positive discharges with evolution towards the right centro-parietal regions. Our case highlights not only a relationship between epileptic seizures and AIWS but also provides pathological insight into AIWS.

Keywords: Alice in wonderland syndrome; Elderly; Focal onset epilepsy; Video electroencephalography.