Medical Conditions

A localization-related (focal) form of epilepsy characterized by seizures which arise in the frontal lobe. A variety of clinical syndromes exist depending on the exact location of the seizure focus. Simple or complex motor movements may occur, and most commonly involve the face and upper extremities. Seizures in the anterior frontal regions may be associated with head and eye turning, typically away from the side of origin of the seizure. Frontal lobe seizures may be idiopathic (cryptogenic) or caused by an identifiable disease process such as traumatic injuries, neoplasms, or other macroscopic or microscopic lesions of the frontal lobes (symptomatic frontal lobe seizures). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp318-9)