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The Effect of the “Pocket Monster” Incident on Patients with Convulsive Disorders
Author(s) -
Murakami Nagako,
Enoki Hideo,
Minakuchi Eita,
Akiyama Tomoyuki,
Hattori Junri,
Oka Eiji
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.2000.tb02251.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , pediatrics , medicine , febrile convulsions , vomiting , monster , psychiatry , surgery , physics , quantum mechanics
Purpose : A number of people were reported to have suffered such acute symptoms as convulsions, impairment of consciousness, head‐ache, and vomiting while watching the animated TV program “Pocket Monster”on December 16, 1997. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the effect of watching this TV show on people with convulsive disorders. Methods : Subjects were patients at the Department of Child Neurology, Okayama University Hospital, who were diagnosed as having epilepsy, febrile convulsion, or latent epilepsy. A questionnaire was sent to all patients (n = 1,533) between the ages of 3 and 25 living in Okayama Prefecture on December 31, 1997. The questionnaire was designed to ascertain the following information: the past history of convulsions in the patient and family members; whether the patient had watched the TV show; whether symptoms had subsequently appeared; the TV viewing environment; and a detailed description of the symptoms. Results : (I) Of the 1,533 patients who were sent a questionnaire, 9 18 (59.9%) returned it. The results of the survey revealed that 342 (37.3%) of the 918 patients had been watching the show, with 18 (5.3%) of these 342 showing some type of symptom. (2) Children in elementary school represented the majority of viewers, with the second largest group being toddlers. The age distribution of the 18 patients ranged as following: 3 patients (4.1 %) were under 7 years of age; 1 I patients (5.7%) were between 7 and 12; 3 patients (7.3%) were between 13 and 15; and 1 patient (5.0%) was between 16 and 18. (3) The incidence rate of induced symptoms among the different types of epilepsy was as follows: 7.7% in febrile convulsion, 4.5% in localization related epilepsy, 14.2% in generalized epilepsy, and 0% in latent epilepsy. (4) Only I patient had a generalized tonic‐clonic seizure, and the remaining 17 patients did not have any convulsion but had autonomic symptoms such as headache, visual symptoms, discomfort, or vomiting. Two patients had eyelid myoclonus. (5) Eleven patients (3.2%) of 342 cases had past histories of photosensitive seizures, and 4four patients (1.2%) of 342 cases had past histories of photoparoxysmal responses on EEG (PPR). “Pocket Monster” animation‐induced symptoms were noted in 2 of the I I patients with a past history of photosensitive seizures and 1 of the 4 patients with PPR. (6) Intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) was performed on 10 of 18 patients with animation induced symptoms. PPR did not appear in 8 (88.9%) of 9 patients who had animation induced autonomic symptoms. Conclusion : “Pocket Monster” animation induced paroxysmal symptoms i n 5.3% of the patients with epilepsy, febrile convulsions, or latent epilepsy. The incidence rate in the patients was lower than that (7.1%)