This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
We report 2 patients presenting with brief tonic-clonic seizures following ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]) ingestion who initially showed hippocampal swelling and subsequently atrophy.
Case reports.
Case 1.
A 25-year-old right-handed man presented following 2 generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS). The first, lasting 30 seconds, occurred 5 hours after taking 2 ecstasy tablets and 8 units of alcohol. The following day he felt unwell and vomited several times but his partner did not report any other unusual behaviors until the afternoon when he had a further 2-minute GTCS, and presented to hospital.
In the days prior to the ecstasy ingestion, he had been well. There was no past history or family history of seizures. There was a history of IV heroin and amphetamine use from age 17 until 22. More recently, he used ecstasy, approximately “half a tablet” every few months. Examination revealed the patient to be oriented, agitated, and febrile (38.5°C), but with no focal neurologic deficits and no neck stiffness.
Investigations revealed renal impairment (serum creatinine 213 mmol/L; normal range 30-110 mmol/L), but otherwise normal electrolytes (serum sodium 139 mmol/L). There was leucocytosis (white cell count 19.0 × 106/L, lymphocytes 16.3 × 106/L; normal ranges 4-11 and 2-7.5 × 106/L). C-reactive protein was 9 mg/L (normal <8 mg/L). Cerebral CT was unremarkable. Chest x-ray, urine, and blood …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
