A case of lissencephaly (agyria) syndrome with apnea--polygraphic study.

A 4-month-old infant with lissencephaly syndrome who was diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms and computed tomography experienced four apnea attacks during three polysomnographies. Apnea attacks were of two types. Type I apnea attacks were thought to be sleep apnea. The cause is unknown. Apnea was followed by tonic seizures due to hypoxia. Type II apnea attacks were thought to be epileptic apneic attacks, because they proceeded from the epileptic discharges in the right anterior temporal region (lead of electrooculogram). The origin of Type II apnea attacks was focused in the limbic system.