Laugh Induced Seizure - A Rare Presentation

Dr. Dinesh Khandelwal, Dr. Naresh Kumar Sharma

Abstract: A laugh induced seizure is an unrecognized condition. We report an interesting and extremely rare case in which laughing produced seizure activity that was recorded and confirmed by video electroencephalography. We report a 52 years old male with history of bipolar disorder and chronic headache presented with multiple episodes of seizures, all induced by laughter, each episode lasted for few seconds. Physical examination was normal and patient on valproic acid and topiramate. His EEG and brain MRI were normal except for an arachnoid cyst of 3.8X2.3 cm in the right anterior middle cranial fossa. Laugh induced seizure is a most unusual clinical entity. Confirmatory diagnosis can be made by video EEG recording of seizure activities provoked by laughing.

Keywords: Laugh-induced seizure, Gelastic seizure, EEG, Cingulate gyrus, Topiramate, Carbamazepine