Frontal lobe seizure propagation: scalp and subdural EEG studies.

PURPOSE: To study propagation properties of focally originating frontal lobe seizures: principally direction and promptness of ictal spread.
METHOD: Forty-eight scalp EEG-recorded and 17 subdurally recorded seizures in two separate groups of patients were visually scrutinized.
RESULTS: Initial propagation was directed more commonly to contiguous frontal cortex than to the opposite hemisphere in both studies: 58% and 86% for scalp and subdural recordings, respectively. Eighteen (38%) of scalp EEG seizures propagated within 5-10 s of apparent onset, whereas 16 (33%) did so after 11-20 s; no evidence of propagation could be discerned in the remaining 14 (29%). Of subdurally recorded attacks, only four (24%) propagated in the first 4 s; six (35%) did so after a delay of 5-10 s; six (35%) either failed to propagate or did so after > or =20-s latency. Latency to initial propagation was between 5 and 20 s in 41 (63%) of the 65 seizures in both studies. Ictal activity remained within the frontal lobe of origin for > or =10 s in 39 (81%) of scalp-recorded seizures and 11 (65%) of subdural seizures. It remained so confined for > or =15 s in 26 (54%) and nine (53%), respectively. Twenty-four (50%) of scalp-recorded seizures displayed evidence of opposite hemisphere (bisynchronous or other contralateral) involvement, occurring 5-10 s after onset in eight (17%) seizures and 10-20 s after onset in 16 (33%). Similarly, the subdural study documented spread to the opposite hemisphere in 11 (65%) of seizures with a latency ranging from 1 to 45 s.
CONCLUSIONS: Frontal lobe seizures in this study propagated less promptly than reputed, and initial spread occurred more commonly to the frontal lobe of origin than to the opposite hemisphere. Such properties underlie the good lateralizing value of clinical semiology of frontal lobe seizures.