Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Rasmussen's Encephalitis

Definition

Rasmussen's encephalitis, also termed Rasmussen's syndrome, is a rare degenerative brain disease that initially affects only one side of the brain. It first manifests in childhood with the onset of epileptic seizures. Later, it progresses to paralysis of one side of the body (hemiparesis), blindness in one eye (hemianopsia), and loss of mental function. The seizures in Rasmussen's encephalitis usually resist therapy with anticonvulsant drugs, but respond well to hemispherectomy, the surgical removal of the entire affected side of the brain.

Description

Rasmussen's encephalitis usually appears in children, but may also strike in adulthood. It initially affects only one side (hemisphere) of the brain. The disease causes uncontrollable...