Todds paresis (or postictal paresis/paralysis, "after seizure") is focal weakness in a part or all of the body after a seizure. This weakness typically affects appendages and is localized to either the left or right side of the body. It usually subsides completely within 48 hours. Todds paresis may also affect speech, eye position (gaze), or vision. The condition is named after Robert Bentley Todd (1809–1860), an Irish-born London physiologist who first described the phenomenon in 1849. It may occur in up to 13% of seizure cases. It is most common after a focal motor seizure affecting one limb or one side of the body. The generally postulated cause is the exhaustion of the primary motor cortex, although no conclusive evidence is available to support this. Presentation
The classic presentation of Todds paresis is a transient weakness of a hand, arm, or leg after focal seizure activity within that limb. The weakness may range in severity from mild to complete paralysis.When seizures affect areas other than the motor cortex, other transient neurological deficits can take place. These include sensory changes if the sensory cortex is involved by the seizure, visual field defects if the occipital lobe is involved, and aphasia if speech, comprehension or conducting fibers are involved.Postictal paresis (PP), although familiar to neurologists, has not been well-studied.
References
Further reading
Likoff, Jessup Mariell, Chandler Sheryl L., Kay Harold R. (1987). "Clinical determinants of mortality in chronic congestive heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated or to ischemic cardiomyopathy". The American Journal of Cardiology. 59 (6): 634–638. doi:10.1016/0002-9149(87)91183-0. PMID 3825904. {{cite journal}}:  CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Carmeliet Peter;  et al. (1999). "Impaired myocardial angiogenesis and ischemic cardiomyopathy in mice lacking the vascular endothelial growth factor isoforms VEGF164 and VEGF188". Nature Medicine. 5 (5): 495–502. doi:10.1038/8379. PMID 10229225. S2CID 7536458. Menasché Philippe;  et al. (2008). "The myoblast autologous grafting in ischemic cardiomyopathy (MAGIC) trial first randomized Placebo-controlled study of myoblast transplantation". Circulation. 117 (9): 1189–1200. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.107.734103. PMID 18285565. Beltrami Carlo Alberto;  et al. (1994). "Structural basis of end-stage failure in ischemic cardiomyopathy in humans". Circulation. 89 (1): 151–163. doi:10.1161/01.cir.89.1.151. PMID 8281642. == External links ==