Seizure evolutions of 79 patients characterized by either dystonia (n = 29; 232 seizures), dystonia and head version in the same seizure evolution (n = 9; 83 seizures) or head version (n = 41; 330 seizures), were included in the study.
The rate of secondary generalization was significant lower in seizures with ictal dystonia (8%, 6 of 72 seizures) compared to seizures with ictal dystonia and version (62%, 13 of 21 seizures, p < 0.0001) or compared to seizures with version (95%, 82 of 86 seizures, p < 0.0001).
This study shows that seizures with unilateral ictal dystonia are less likely to generalize as compared to seizures associated with version. This effect is likely to reflect the involvement of inhibitory mechanisms related to the basal ganglia, which exert an inhibiting effect on secondary seizure generalization.