An 8-Year-Old Boy Is Being Evaluated Due to Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

question 241

Multiple Choice

An 8-year-old boy is being evaluated due to drug-resistant epilepsy.  The patient has had recurrent seizures since age 2, which have remained uncontrolled despite multiple antiepileptic medications.  He has no history of head trauma, meningitis, or encephalitis.  There is no family history of seizure disorder.  Electroencephalography reveals epileptic foci originating from the left temporal lobe, and neuroimaging reveals an abnormality of the left hippocampus.  Surgical resection of the cortical region from which the seizure originates is performed.  Histopathological examination of the removed brain tissue is most likely to reveal which of the following findings?

• A)Astrocytic proliferation
• B)Hemosiderin-laden macrophages
• C)Microglial nodules
• D)Neuronal inclusion bodies
• E)Spongiform changes

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Definitions:

IQ Scores

Quantitative measures of a person's intelligence relative to that of others, based on standardized tests.

Genetic Differences

Variations in the DNA sequences among individuals, which contribute to the diversity of organisms' traits and characteristics.

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Measures of intelligence that assess an individual's ability to use language, including vocabulary and verbal reasoning skills.

Disadvantaged Neighborhoods

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