LAUGHTER EPILEPSY

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Abstract
In case 1 the attack was preceded by an aura of short duration. The fit was one of compulsive laughter with a grin and without pleasurable emotion which would occasionally change into crying. Consciousness and memory were maintained and the patient was able to remain standing. At other times, the patient had adversive attacks. When still a baby, the patient had had fits that resembled laughing or crying. One etiological factor might be the possibility of an inherited midline anomaly near the laughter mechanism; this was indicated by the appearance of the patient and her father,[long dash]status dysraphicus. There was also the possibility of injury during pregnancy or at birth. In case 2, the patient was a psychopathic young man who had had an attack of convulsions at pre-school age. After concussion due to an accident when full-grown he began to have both attacks of laughter and separate grand mal attacks. The attacks of laughter were preceded by a short aura. The laughter was unnatural and loud. Automatism occurred. Although the patient was in a dreamy state during the attacks and although he was unable to keep upright, he partly remembered his attacks. It is presumed that the concussion activated a subclinical epileptic disturbance of unknown etiology.

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