The Periodically Recurring Focal Discharge

SUMMARY1  A rare electrographic pattern of periodically recurring focal discharges, mainly in the parieto‐occipital area, has been described. 2  The constancy of the rate of discharges under various conditions has been noted. In some patients, the discharge seems to occur at preferential time intervals after the heart beat. 3  Most of the patients were adults with histories of a seizure disorder, especially with a focal aspect, and also with neurological symptoms, mainly motor deficits, and psychiatric signs, but the seizures of the majority of patients temporarily lessened with anticonvulsant medication. 4  The most common etiological factor was cerebrovascular disease; the possibility that prolonged hypoxia or anoxia may be responsible for the discharges is discussed. 5  A phenomenon, possibly related to the recurring focal discharge in the human, has also been noted in the monkey.RÉASUMÉA1  Les auteurs deAcrivent un type rare de deAcharges focaliseAes qui se reApeGtent de facLon peAriodique et surviennent principalement dans la reAgion parieAto‐occipitale. 2  La peAriodiciteA du pheAnomeGne est constante dans des conditions varieAes et, chez quelques patients, il semble que les deAcharges surviennent preAfeArentiellement un certain temps apreGs les pulsatiAons cardiaques. 3  Laplupart des patients eAtaient des adultes preAsentantdes crises aG seAmeAiologie focale ainsi que des symptoCmes neurologiques, principalement deAficitaires, et des manifestations psychiatriques; les crises de la plupart de ces sujets furent atteAnueAes par une theArapeutique anti‐convulsive. 4  Le facteur eAtiologique le plus commun eAtait repreAsenteA par une affection vasculare ceAreAbrale; le roCle d'une hypoxie prolongeAe ou d'une anoxie peut done eCtre envisageA a l'origine de ces deAcharges. 5  Un pheAnomeGne qu'il est possible derattacher aG ces deAcharges focaliseAes reAcurrentes de l'homme a eAteA noteA chez les singes.