Thelansis

  Infantile spasms (IS), or West syndrome, one of the most recognized types of epileptic encephalopathy, constitutes a distinct and often catastrophic form of epilepsy of early infancy. The disorder presents with a unique seizure type, infantile spasms, characterized by flexor, extensor, and mixed flexor–extensor spasms; distinct electroencephalography (EEG) pattern of hypsarrhythmia; and psychomotor delay/arrest. IS can be classified by two etiologies: symptomatic and cryptogenic. Patients with symptomatic IS have a clearly defined underlying cause and/or significant developmental delay prior to the onset of spasms. In cryptogenic IS, no underlying cause is identified and normal development is present prior to the onset of spasms. Causes of IS may be prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal. Approximately 50% of cases have a prenatal cause, which includes central nervous system malformations, intrauterine insults, neurocutaneous syndromes such as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), metabol...