Benign nonfamilial neonatal seizures

Benign neonatal seizure (nonfamilial) is a benign syndrome characterized by clonic seizures that begin around the fifth day of life and may recur during the following 2 to 3 days.

• Declan et al(1977) first reported a neonatal convulsive disorder of unknown etiology that occurs around the fifth day of life and associated with a favorable outcome.
• In 1989, the ILAE Commission on Classification and Terminology proposed the term “benign neonatal seizures”
• In the updated ILAE 2017 classification it is categorized under Conditions with epileptic seizures that are traditionally not diagnosed as a form of epilepsy per se.

• Claes et al 2004 reported three de novo mutations in KCNQ2 in 4 patients with benign neonatal seizures without a family history (Claes et al 2004).
• Ishii et al 2009 also reported another de novo mutation was reported in a neonate with benign neonatal seizures and no family history of seizures.
• KCNQ2 variants have been described in patients with benign familial neonatal seizures suggesting an overlap between the 2 syndromes.

• seizures are mainly clonic
• onset is around fifth day of life

• ictal EEG usually shows localised spikes
• interictal EEG usually shows theta pointu alternant

• probably environmental

* risk of subsequent seizures is practically nil (o.5%)^[1]