Displasia cortical focal y epilepsia

Cortical dysplasia is the term currently in use to designate all cortical malformations. It can be stated that of all the structures that conform the central nervous system, the cerebral cortex is the most susceptible to undergo malformations during the cortical development through the complex processes of corticogenesis, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, necessary to build a normal cerebral cortex. Along the developmental process each one of those stages may generate a variety of anomalies, from microdysgenesis to gross cortical malformations such as lisencephaly, polimicrogyria, pachygyria, cortical nodules, double cortex, and hemimegalencephaly, all of those cortical malformations are currently called cortical dysplasias. Cortical malformations are clinically manifested by seizures, either generalized or as complex partial seizures; being the focal cortical dysplasia of Taylor one of the most epileptogenic. The FCDT is characterized by widening of the affected convolution and thickened cortical ribbon, and besides the laminar cortical disorganization, by giant, dysmorphic neurons and globoid ("balloon") cells and ill defined boundaries between gray and white matter. A variety of damaging factors are known to be associated to the etiology of cortical dysplasias, but also there is a genetic substratum to each one. The case of FCDT here reported underwent surgical extirpation of the epileptogenic foci in the left parietal lobe. Follow-up showed a favorable clinical course with control of seizures, development of language and motor improvement. The case of FCDT is discussed in relation to current concepts in the scientific literature.