Seizure Disorders USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 24-year-old woman presents to the emergency department after her first witnessed generalized tonic-clonic seizure. She reports a 2-year history of brief jerking movements of her arms upon awakening, which she attributed to "sleep starts." She notes that flickering lights trigger these jerking episodes. Her menstrual cycle is regular. She recently completed a week of overnight studying and has been sleep-deprived. Vital signs are stable, and the neurologic examination is notable only for mild post-ictal confusion. MRI of the brain with and without contrast is normal. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer choices
- AAbsence epilepsy
- BJuvenile myoclonic epilepsyCorrect answer
- CFocal seizure with secondary generalization arising from occipital cortex
- DTemporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis
- EPost-traumatic epilepsy
- FProvoked seizure secondary to sleep deprivation only
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