EPILEPSY WITH AUDITORY FEATURES (EAF)

OVERVIEW

Epilepsy with auditory features (EAF) is a focal epilepsy syndrome with characteristic focal aware sensory auditory seizures. Seizures often produce such mild symptoms that they are not diagnosed. There are no implications expected for development or learning and seizures are typically infrequent and well controlled. EAF may occur as a familial syndrome, familial EAF (FEAF, previous known as autosomal dominant lateral temporal lobe epilepsy or autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features).Inheritance may be autosomal dominant (ADEAF), with incomplete penetrance.

NOTE a variant with focal cognitive seizures with receptive aphasia is also recognized.

Clinical context

This syndrome typically has onset between 10-30 years (range 0.5-54 years). Both sexes are affected equally. Antecedent and birth history is normal. Head size and neurological examination are normal. Development and cognition are typically normal.