Epileptic aphasia. First onset of prolonged monosymptomatic status epilepticus in adults.

Epileptic aphasia in adults is a rarely described syndrome. Its occurrence in individuals without a clear-cut history of seizures raises diagnostic difficulties with important therapeutic implications. Two such cases are reported in which the diagnosis was confirmed by EEG with a dramatic therapeutic response to anticonvulsant medication. The EEG criteria leading to detection of the epileptic nature of the syndrome are detailed. Maintaining a high index of suspicion in cases with fluctuating symptoms remains crucial for early diagnosis and management, especially in terms of differentiating epileptic aphasia from transient ischemic phenomena.