Long-term sequential magnetoencephalographic analyses for patients with atypical benign partial epilepsy in childhood Hideaki Shiraishi a, ⁎ , Kiyoshi Egawa a , Naoko Asahina a , Shinji Nakane b , Yasuyo Udo b , Akira Satake c , Shinobu Kohsaka a , Shinji Saitoh a a Department of Pediatrics, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan b Division of Magnetoencephalography, Hokkaido University Hospital, Japan c Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa City Hospital, Japan Abstract. This study charted the magnetoencephalographic (MEG) findings with clinical course for atypical benign partial epilepsy in childhood (ABPE). We discuss the etiology and epileptogenesis of this condition. Three patients with ABPE (age: 8–10 years old) underwent MEG analysis using a 204ch helmet- shape MEG system. MEG showed unilateral epileptic activities over the frontal and temporal operculum and insular cortex during the worst seizures. The findings changed as the seizures were reduced by localized clustering of equivalent current dipoles (ECDs) at the unilateral temporal and frontal operculum near the primary motor area. We concluded that the localizations and directions of the ECDs in our patients during seizure remission resembled those of benign Rolandic epilepsy (BRE). We suggest a similar pathogenesis for ABPE and BRE. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Atypical benign partial epilepsy in childhood; ABPE; Magnetoencephalography; MEG 1. Introduction Atypical benign partial epilepsy (ABPE) was first described by Aicardi and Chevrie [1]. The disease occurs in 2.5- to 6-year-olds with focal motor seizures, atypical absence International Congress Series 1300 (2007) 689 – 692 www.ics-elsevier.com ⁎ Corresponding author. Postal Address: North 15, West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan. Tel.: +8111 706 5954; fax: +81 11 706 7898. E-mail address: siraisi@med.hokudai.ac.jp (H. Shiraishi). 0531-5131/ © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ics.2007.03.012