Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

Len·nox-Gas·taut syndrome (lnks-g-st, -gä-)

n.

A generalized myoclonic astatic epilepsy that occurs in children as a result of various cerebral afflictions such as perinatal hypoxia, cerebral hemorrhage, encephalitis, and maldevelopment or metabolic disorders of the brain; it is characterized by mental retardation and generalized tonic seizures or akinetic attacks. Also called Lennox syndrome.

---

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

[len′oks-gästō′]

Etymology: William G. Lennox, American neurologist, 1884-1960; Henri Gastaut, French biologist, b. 1914

a condition in which a variety of generalized seizures, such as tonic, atonic, absence, tonic-clonic, akinetic, and myoclonic, begin to appear in the first 5 years of life. Seizures are often intractable and may require multiple antiepileptic medications. Mental retardation is often present. Among suggested causes are inherited metabolic abnormalities and perinatal or postnatal disorders. Also called Gastaut's disease.

---

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

Lennox syndrome Neurology A severe encephalopathic form of epilepsy that constitutes 5% of all childhood epilepsies Clinical Early onset of multiple types–eg, absence, atonic, and others of seizures, slow spike-wave EEG pattern, cerebral atrophy, and often progressive mental retardation; seizures are poorly controlled even with multiple anticonvulsants Prognosis For cognitive development, poor; felbamate may ↓ Sx. See Felbamate.