Oral automatisms induced by stimulation of the mesial frontal cortex

Abstract

Extraoperative electrical stimulation is frequently used to identify eloquent areas in patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy who undergo subdural grid evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Oral automatisms elicited by cortical stimulation have been described in the mesial temporal lobe, but also in the mesial frontal lobe, particularly the cingulate gyrus. However oral automatisms attributed to stimulation in the superior frontal gyrus without afterdischarges have never been reported. Herein we present two patients with right frontal lobe epilepsy with oral automatisms induced by electrical stimulation of the right mesial superior frontal gyrus. © 2009 International League Against Epilepsy.