Ictal swearing: a case series and review

Abstract

Seizures can manifest with ictal swearing but few studies have investigated the localising value of this epileptic manifestation. In this case series and review of the literature, we attempted to determine whether ictal swearing could help localise the epileptic focus. We review two previously published cases and report eight additional epileptic patients with ictal swearing for whom the epileptic focus was determined based on clinical, structural, electrophysiological, and surgical outcome data. Results indicated that ictal swearing occurs more commonly in male subjects and lateralises to the non-dominant hemisphere, but has poor localisation value, arising either from the frontal, parietal, temporal or occipital lobes in different patients. We discuss the significance of these findings. [Published with video sequences].