The epileptic blip syndrome.
Epilepsy & behavior reports January 1, 2024 Edgar Matringe, Juan R Vidal, Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti et al.
An adolescent with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy experienced brief, involuntary urges to touch her forehead, triggered by a strange sensation inside her head. Video-EEG recordings showed these movements always followed diffuse generalized spike-and-wave bursts (GSWBs) lasting one to three seconds. The patient described the sensation as a "blip on a screen," suggesting she could detect the impact of the GSWBs on her stream of consciousness. This case supports the idea that some patients perceive their own EEG discharges, echoing the "blip syndrome" described by neurologist James W. Lance thirty years ago, and contributes to debates about the cognitive effects of interictal discharges.