Bilateral operculum syndrome in childhood

J Child Neurol. 2009 May;24(5):544-50. doi: 10.1177/0883073808327841. Epub 2009 Feb 5.

Abstract

We describe 3 patients with bilateral operculum syndrome. They presented with various degrees of suprabulbar (pseudobulbar) signs in addition to delay in cognitive, motor, and speech development in 2 children and developmental language disorder in the third one. A patient with schizencephaly in the left perisylvian area and contralateral polymicrogyria had spastic hemiparesis on the right side, whereas another patient showed bilateral underdevelopment of the opercula in association with axial hypotonia and spastic diplegia. Both of them had epileptiform discharges on the electroencephalogram without clinical manifestations of seizures. The magnetic resonance imaging of the third child with developmental language disorder was normal; however, his electroencephalogram showed frequent bilateral subclinical centrotemporal epileptiform discharges, probably responsible for the speech delay. Structural or functional involvement of the opercula bilaterally was a common finding in all the 3 patients and they had symptoms similar to those described in the developmental type of Foix-Chavany-Marie and Worster-Drought syndromes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Cerebral Palsy / diagnosis
  • Cerebral Palsy / pathology
  • Cerebral Palsy / physiopathology
  • Child
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / pathology
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Developmental Disabilities / diagnosis
  • Developmental Disabilities / pathology*
  • Developmental Disabilities / physiopathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / diagnosis
  • Epilepsy / pathology
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe / pathology*
  • Frontal Lobe / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Movement Disorders / diagnosis
  • Movement Disorders / pathology
  • Movement Disorders / physiopathology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Paresis / diagnosis
  • Paresis / pathology
  • Paresis / physiopathology
  • Speech Disorders / diagnosis
  • Speech Disorders / pathology
  • Speech Disorders / physiopathology
  • Syndrome
  • Temporal Lobe / pathology*
  • Temporal Lobe / physiopathology*