Ictal apnea linked to contralateral spread of temporal lobe seizures: Intracranial EEG recordings in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy

There is a close temporal relationship between spread of seizures to the contralateral hemisphere and the onset of seizure-associated apnea. Apnea onsets are more tightly linked to time of contralateral spread than to time of seizure onset. Patients with TLE in whom there is evidence of contralateral seizure spread may be at higher risk for ictal-related respiratory dysfunction than those in whom seizures remain unilateral.