Benign epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) or sharp waves, also known as rolandic epilepsy, is the most common idiopathic childhood epilepsy syndrome (Neubauer et al., 1998). It is termed 'rolandic' epilepsy because of the characteristic features of partial seizures involving the region around the lower portion of the central gyrus of Rolando. This results in classic focal seizures that affect the vocal tract, beginning with guttural sounds at the larynx and sensorimotor symptoms that progress to the tongue, mouth, and face, resulting in hypersalivation and speech arrest. Seizures most often occur in sleep shortly before awakening. The disorder occurs more often in boys than in girls (3:2). Rolandic epilepsy is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting 0.2% of the population. Affected individuals may have learning disabilities or behavioral problems; however, the seizures and accompanying problems usually remit during adolescence (summary by Strug et al., 2009).
See also focal epilepsy and speech disorder (FESD; 245570), which is caused by mutation in the GRIN2A gene (138253) on chromosome 16p13. Some patients with GRIN2A mutations show features consistent with a clinical diagnosis of BECTS. Some patients with DEPDC5 (614191) mutations may show features consistent with rolandic epilepsy (see FFEVF, 604364). [from
OMIM]