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Non-Epileptiform Patterns. Dr Lim Shih Hui Senior Consultant Neurologist Singapore General Hospital. EEG Interpretation. Normal Lack of Abnormality Abnormal Non-epileptiform Patterns Epileptiform Patterns. Slow Activity Background slow Intermittent slow Continuous slow
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Non-Epileptiform Patterns Dr Lim Shih Hui Senior Consultant Neurologist Singapore General Hospital
EEG Interpretation • Normal • Lack of Abnormality • Abnormal • Non-epileptiform Patterns • Epileptiform Patterns
Slow Activity Background slow Intermittent slow Continuous slow Special Patterns Used Only In Stupor & Coma Alpha coma Spindle coma Beta coma Theta coma Delta coma Special Patterns Excessive fast Asymmetry Periodic pattern Triphasic waves Periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) Burst suppression Background suppression Sleep-onset rapid eye movement Non-Epileptiform Patterns
Slow Waves • Indicates underlying cortical dysfunction, ?deafferentation of the cortex • Location indicates a focal, lateralized or generalized cortical dysfunction • Degree, persistence and reactivity roughly correlate with severity of dysfunction • Rhythmic slowing: more likely to be electro-physiological disturbances • Polymorphic slowing: more likely to have structural abnormality
Background Slow Activity • Frequency of the background rhythm is lower than normal value for the age. • 1 yr: <5 Hz • 4 yr: <6 Hz • 5 yr: <7 Hz • >8yr: <8 Hz • Must be verified that slowing is not due to drowsiness
Background Slow ActivityInterpretation • Cortical or subcortical mechanism involved in the generation of the background rhythm are disturbed synchronization of background rhythms of abnormally slow frequency • A manifestation of a diffuse dysfunction of the cortex, or subcortical gray structures • A non-specific EEG finding that have different causes • Adult: usually disorders of cerebral perfusion; metabolic and toxic cause • Childhood: perinatal sequelae
Intermittent Slow, Generalized Intermittent Slow, Generalized
Intermittent Slow Activity • Occurs intermittently and is not caused by drowsiness • Rhythmic or irregular • Generalized, regional or lateralized • Background rhythm is generally well preserved; indicating that cortical and subcortical mechanism involved in its generation are functionally normal • A non-specific functional cerebral dysfunction • Has diverse cause • Can be an early manifestation of continuous slow activity or epileptiform changes
Generalized Intermittent Slow Activity • Can be caused by infra-tentorial or supra-tentorial lesions • Unprovoked intermittent slow • diffuse cortical dysfunction • generalized epilepsy • Adult: predominantly frontal (Frontal Intermittent Rhythmic Delta Activity FIRDA) • Children: predominantly occipital (OIRDA)
Intermittent Rhythmic Slow (IRS) • More specific subclass of intermittent slow • Appeared grouped in bursts • Relatively rhythmic • Generalized IRS: • Diffuse involvement of cortical and subcortical grey structures (e.g. diffuse encephalopathy or generalized non-focal epilepsy) • Mesial cortical lesion • Focal subcortical grey matter lesion; infra- or supra-tentorial destructive process e.g. tumors or raised intracranial pressure
Continuous Slow Activity • Occurs continuously • Irregular (polymorphic) • Lies within frequency range of delta/theta waves • Non-responsive to external stimuli • Clearly exceeds the amount considered physiologically normal for the patient’s age • Severe disturbances of interneuronal connections or of the biochemical environment of cortical neurons continuous slow activity
Continuous Slow, Lateralized, Left Hemisphere Continuous Slow, Lateralized, Left Hemisphere
Alpha Coma • Predominant alpha activity in a patient with a clinical state of coma • Due to : • Discrete lesion of the ponto-mesencephalic level • Severe anoxic encephalopathies • Drug intoxication
Theta Coma • Predominant theta activity in patient in coma • Due to severe diffuse encephalopathy • Potentially reversible; prognosis depends on underlying condition
Other Coma Patterns • Spindle Coma • Due to lesion at high mesencephaic level • If not due to progressive lesion good prognosis • Beta Coma • Most frequently due to drug intoxication; potentially reversible • Delta Coma • Severe diffuse encephalopathy • Reversibility depends on underlying condition
Excessive Fast • Beta activity of > 50 uV • Present during at least 50% of awake recording • Frequently due to sedative medication
Asymmetry • Asymmetries of amplitude of background rhythms • Asymmetries of frequency are included under focal slow • Asymmetries are considered significant when amplitude in one hemisphere with the lower amplitude is <50% • A reliable sign of focal structural lesions on the side that has lower amplitude • e.g. Porencephalic cyst, subdural hematoma
Periodic Pattern • Relatively stereotyped waveforms • Frequently sharp waves • Appear in a periodic or quasiperiodic fashion • Generalized • Indicative of an acute or sub-acute, severe and diffuse encephalopathy • Repetition rate • 1-2 every 1-2 seconds: CJD, post-hypoxic • 1 every > 4 seconds: SSPE
Triphasic Waves • High voltage (>70 uV) • Triphasic, predominantly postive • Generalized, maximum anterior • Tend to be periodic, 1-2 Hz • Due to metabolic encephalopathy (e.g hepatic encephalopathy) or any condition that produce intermittent • Usually associated with alteration of consiousness but not as severe as stupor or coma
Periodic Lateralized Epileptiform Discharges (PLEDs) • Sharp transients including sharp wave or spikes • Appear in a periodic or semi-periodic fasion • Lateralized or focal • Seen in • Acute or subacute, severe, focal destructive lesions (e.g CVA, fast growing tumors) • Focal epileptogenic lesion not necessary associated with can acute or subacute underlying structural pathology
Burst Suppression • A subgroup of periodic patterns in which activity between complexes is suppressed • Generalized • Seen in extremely severe toxic or anoxic encephalopathy; may precede electrocerebral inactivity • Patients always in stupor or coma
Sleep Onset Rapid Eye Movement • Occurrence of REM sleep <15 min after falling asleep • Dysfunction of subcortical mechanism that induce sleep • Occur in • Narcolepsy • Severe sleep deprivation with consequent REM rebound • Withdrawal of MAO inhibitors or TAD • Neonates normal