AUTHOR=Ouchida Sumika , Nikpour Armin , Wilson David Neville , Fairbrother Greg 

TITLE=Case Report: Ictal hypersalivation: a stereoelectroencephalography exploration

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Surgery

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2025.1535408

DOI=10.3389/fsurg.2025.1535408

ISSN=2296-875X

ABSTRACT=Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition with various etiologies, and recurrent unprovoked seizures characterize it. Hypersalivation is a recognized symptom of insular-opercular epilepsies. A wide range of symptoms can occur during a seizure, including hypersalivation, autonomic responses, oropharyngeal sensations, visceral sensations, somatosensory disturbances, and emotional manifestations. In this case study, we examine a unique scenario of a patient who experienced predominantly salivary seizures. Hypersalivation, pill-rolling movements, and lip-smacking characterized these seizures. Importantly, the patient became seizure-free after undergoing radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC) with the assistance of Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG). Our discussion will focus on the treatment approach involving SEEG-guided RFTC and the careful identification of the brain cortex responsible for triggering excessive salivation during seizures.