Broad Sharp Waves—An Underrecognized EEG Pattern in Patients with Epileptic Seizures

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 250-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Bauer ◽  
Richard Bauer ◽  
Judith Dobesberger ◽  
Iris Unterberger ◽  
Martin Ortler ◽  
...  
PEDIATRICS ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
Kazuyoshi Watanabe ◽  
Kimiko Hara ◽  
Susumu Hakamada ◽  
Tamiko Negoro ◽  
Midori Sugiura ◽  
...  

Five children who had apneic attacks as a manifestation of epileptic seizures are reported. In three children, the apneic attacks were the sole symptom of epileptic fits. The other two children had additional types of seizures. The apneic seizures usually lasted one to two minutes and were characterized by respiratory embarrassment rather than complete arrest. These seizures are usually accompanied by cyanosis which appears early during the course of the attack. Although consciousness seemed to be impaired, this was difficult to assess accurately in infants. The ictal EEGs disclosed paroxysmal discharges of focal onset in all cases, consisting of high amplitude θ-waves, gradually mixed with or replaced by sharp waves or spikes in some and fast waves followed by slower waves in others. These occurred in temporal areas in three patients and in frontal and central areas in one patient each. Interictal EEGs, however, revealed paroxysmal discharges in only one patient. Apneic attacks in these infants are considered to be an integral part of the manifestations of complex partial seizures originating mostly in the limbic system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1219
Author(s):  
Beatriz García-López ◽  
María Sueiras-Gil ◽  
Ana Isabel Gómez-Menéndez ◽  
Fernando Vázquez-Sánchez ◽  
María Carmen Lloria-Gil ◽  
...  

Clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) features in frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) vary considerably among patients, making the diagnosis a challenge. The objective of this study was to describe interictal and ictal EEG activity, identifying variables that could help to differentiate and diagnose frontal lobe epilepsy cases. A prospective cross-sectional study from patients with frontal interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) referred to the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain) after a clinical event compatible with epileptic seizures was designed. The interictal and ictal activity were analyzed to provide a detailed EEG description of the cases, using different statistical analyses. The morphological seizure pattern at the ictal onset remained globally unchanged over time in seizures arising from the frontal lobe for each patient. Isolated sharp waves were the most frequent waveforms in the expression of IED. Frontal lobe seizures are frequently short and sometimes appear grouped in clusters within the same recording. Often the ictal expression of the electrical activity in frontal lobe seizure is subtle and challenging to interpret. A description of the main findings is summarized to identify seizures arising from the frontal lobe and avoid false negatives findings in EEG interpretations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 1435-1439
Author(s):  
Lichao Sun ◽  
Zhanpeng Zhu ◽  
Guangming Wang ◽  
Weihong Lin

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended for patients with epileptic seizures to rule out an underlying focal lesion. However, the radiological characteristics of epilepsy are not well elucidated. Transient periictal MRI abnormality (TPMA) refers to reversible MRI signal changes observed in epileptic patients. A 32-year-old man presented with a 2-week history of epileptic seizures, which initially manifested as focal aware seizures and progressed to a generalized tonic-clonic seizure on the third day. Electroencephalography showed sharp waves, sharp and slow wave complexes, and irregular δ waves over bilateral temporal lobes. After admission, brain MRI showed abnormal signals in the bilateral frontoparietal lobes. He was administered oral oxcarbazepine (75  mg twice daily). During follow-up he was seizure-free; the abnormal MRI signals persisted at 2 weeks, but were completely resolved at 4 months. The possibility of TPMA should be considered in patients with epileptic disorders, and differentiated from a potential epileptogenic lesion.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
pp. e245-e249
Author(s):  
Iliyana Aleksandrova ◽  
Asya Asenova ◽  
Daniela Deneva ◽  
Veneta Bojinova

Abstract Background Atypical electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities emerge in patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), especially in cases with an atypical clinical presentation that can lead to diagnostic difficulties. Case Report In this article, we presented a case of SSPE with an atypical onset with epileptic seizures and Parkinson's features. The neurological examination during the initial evaluation of the patient showed extrapyramidal syndrome, hyperreflexia, intention tremor, and dysmetria. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging was normal. Video EEGs were performed in wakefulness and sleep. In wakefulness, multiple brief seizures (1–1.5 seconds were recorded, consisting of gradual bending of the body forward and to the right that lacked the sudden characteristic of myoclonia. During those episodes, we recorded generalized epileptiform activity of 4 or 5 sharp waves, with higher amplitude in the anterior regions, in some of the paroxysms superimposed on a slow wave or followed by a high amplitude slow wave. The paroxysms appeared periodically every 15 to 30 seconds. However, 2 months later, the EEG showed typical periodic generalized activity of biphasic/triphasic slow waves (Radermecker complexes), accompanied by myoclonias. Conclusion We reported a peculiar EEG pattern in a patient with SSPE that consists of periodic generalized activity of sharp waves. Atypical EEG patterns can appear when the disease progresses, but initially too, before typical periodic complexes and can complicate the diagnostic process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Runhan Zhang ◽  
Chao Gao ◽  
Junting Liu ◽  
Manting Zhao ◽  
Yongli Wu

This study aimed to analyze the application of composite domain analysis algorithm for electroencephalogram (EEG) images of children with epilepsy and to investigate the risk factors related to poor prognosis. 70 children with neurological epilepsy admitted to the hospital were selected as the research objects. Besides, the EEG of the children during the intermittent and seizure phases of epilepsy were collected, so as to establish a composite domain analysis algorithm model. Then, the model was applied in EEG analysis. The clinical disease type and prognosis of children were statistically analyzed, and the risk factors that affected the prognosis of children were investigated. The results showed that the EEG signal values of the detail coefficients (d51 and d52) and the approximate coefficient (c5) during the epileptic seizure period were higher markedly than the signal values of the epileptic intermittent period; the EEG signal of the epileptic intermittent period was a transient waveform, which appeared as sharp waves or spikes. The EEG signal of epileptic seizures was continuous, with a composite waveform of sharp waves and spikes, and the change amplitude of the wavelet envelope spectrum during epileptic seizures was also higher hugely than that of intermittent epilepsy. The accurate identification rate, specificity, and sensitivity of EEG analysis with the composite domain algorithm were higher than those without the algorithm. Among the five types of epileptic seizures in children, the proportion of systemic tonic-clonic status was the largest, and the proportion of myoclonic status was equal to that of complex partial epileptic status, both of which were relatively small. The proportion of children with a better prognosis was 75.71% (53/70), which was higher than those with a poor prognosis 24.29% (17/70). Abnormal imaging examination (odds ratio (OR) = 3.823 and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.643–8.897); seizure duration greater than 1 hour (OR = 1.855 and 95% CI = 1.076–3.199); C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR = 5.089 and 95% CI = 1.507–17.187); and abnormal blood glucose (OR = 3.077, 95%CI = 1.640–5.773) were all independent risk factors for poor prognosis (all P < 0.05 ). The composite domain analysis algorithm was helpful for clinicians to find the difference in the EEG signals between the epileptic seizure period and the epileptic intermittent period in a short time, thereby improving the doctor’s analysis of the results, which could reflect its marked superiority. In addition, abnormal imaging examinations, convulsion duration greater than 1 hour, CRP, and abnormal blood glucose were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in children. Therefore, the invasion of related risk factors could be reduced clinically by prognostic review with medical advice, attention to food safety and hygiene, and improvement of children’s immunity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadil Skrijelj ◽  
Mersudin Mulic

Introduction. Carbamazepine can lead to aggravation of epileptic seizures in generalized epilepsies (primary or secondary) with clinical manifestations of absence (typical or atypical) and/or myoclonic seizures. However, some focal epilepsies can be also aggravated by the introduction of carbamazepine. Case report. We presented a 10-year-old boy born after a complicated and prolonged delivery completed by vacuum extraction, of early psychomotor development within normal limits. At the age of 8 years he had the first epileptic seizure of simple occipital type with generalization and urination. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed focal cortical reductions in the left parietal and occipital regions. Interictal EEG recorded slowed basic activities above the posterior regions of the left hemisphere, with intermittent occurrence of occipital sharp waves and bioccipital sharp and slow-wave complexes. Initially, treatment with valproate was administered; however, the addition of carbamazepine into therapy induced aggravation of seizures and EEG findings, changed behavior and poor performance at school. By withdrawal of carbamazepine the condition improved both clinically and in EEG findings. Conclusion. Childhood occipital epilepsy lesions show deterioration due to carbamazepine, which if administered induces aggravation of seizures, behavior changes, cognition with occurrence of long-term bilateral discharges, and posterior sharp and slow wave high amplitude complexes recorded by EEG.


Author(s):  
V. Pelliccia ◽  
C. Pizzanelli ◽  
S. Pini ◽  
P. Malacarne ◽  
U. Bonuccelli

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Klonowski ◽  
Pawel Stepien ◽  
Robert Stepien

Over 20 years ago, Watt and Hameroff (1987 ) suggested that consciousness may be described as a manifestation of deterministic chaos in the brain/mind. To analyze EEG-signal complexity, we used Higuchi’s fractal dimension in time domain and symbolic analysis methods. Our results of analysis of EEG-signals under anesthesia, during physiological sleep, and during epileptic seizures lead to a conclusion similar to that of Watt and Hameroff: Brain activity, measured by complexity of the EEG-signal, diminishes (becomes less chaotic) when consciousness is being “switched off”. So, consciousness may be described as a manifestation of deterministic chaos in the brain/mind.


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