We describe a 56-year-old woman with left temporal lobe epilepsy who developed symptoms of a panic attack. Owing to normal electroencephalography and brain magnetic resonance imaging results, she was initially diagnosed as suffering from panic attacks and treated for anxiety neurosis. The symptoms persisted and she was re-examined in our department. An interictal electroencephalogram showed paroxysmal spike waves in the left mesial temporal lobe region and this was the basis for a diagnosis of left temporal lobe epilepsy. This report suggests that left temporal lobe epilepsy should be considered as the differential diagnosis when patients frequently complain of fear or anxiety.
GambardellaAValentinoPLabateASibiliaGRuscicaFColosimoE: Temporal lobe epilepsy as a unique manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Can J Neurol Sci2003; 30: 228–232
2.
MuchnikSFinkielmanSSemeniukGde AguirreMI: Yawning and temporal lobe epilepsy (in Spanish, English abstract available). Medicina (B Aires)2003; 63: 137–139
3.
BoudenADenguezliICharfiFHalayemMB: Epilepsy with affective symptomatology: three case reports (in French, English abstract available). Tunis Med2002; 80: 345–348
4.
ArunPChavanBSKumarN: Seizure disorder presenting as panic attack. Indian J Med Sci2002; 56: 486–488
5.
SazgarMCarlenPLWennbergR: Panic attack semiology in right temporal lobe epilepsy. Epileptic Disord2003; 5: 93–100
6.
MassanaGSerra-GrabulosaJMSalgado-PinedaPGastoCJunqueCMassanaJ: Parahippocampal gray matter density in panic disorder: A voxel-based morphometric study. Am J Psychiatry2003; 160: 566–568
7.
MatsudaNAkanumaJShimizuSShibanoKNakaharaTSugiyamaY: Recurrent episodes of fever of unknown origin as temporal lobe epilepsy (in Japanese, English abstract available). Rinsho Shinkeigaku2000; 40: 999–1002
