[A case of infantile epileptic apnea with congenital brain anomaly].

Two months-old girl with psychomotor retardation had aminophylline-resistant apnea attacks and was investigated by video-EEG recording. She had hypogenesis of cerebral cortex and cerebellum and complete agenesis of corpus callosum. Left hemispheric 2 Hz rhythmic delta wave burst originating from the posterior temporal area lasted about 20 seconds, and was followed by an apnea attack persisting for 30 seconds. During the apnea attack, the basic activity of EEG was suppressed. The diagnosis of epileptic apnea was made, and the attacks were controlled with valproate sodium. Reports of cases of brain anomaly presenting with epileptic apnea are rare and this interesting case provided a clue to the pathomechanism of this condition.