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Comparative Usefulness in the Diagnosis of Epilepsy

Gastone G. Celesia, MD; Richard E. Paulsen, MD

Arch Neurol. 1972;27(4):361-363.

Abstract
Two types of electroencephalographic activations were observed in 41 epileptics during sleep and intravenous administration of methohexital sodium. Type 1 was the induction of specific paroxysmal discharges (SPD) in an otherwise normal tracing; it occurred in four patients during sleep and in two patients during methohexital. Type 2 was an increase of 30% or more in the frequency of SPD in a preexisting abnormal tracing; it occurred in 20 patients during sleep and in 15 during methohexital administration.

Type 1 activation improved the sensitivity of electroencephalography as a diagnostic tool by 10%. However, this was achieved mainly with sleep, because whenever methohexital elicited a type 1 response a similar activation had already been obtained during sleep. Methohexital activation shows no further effectiveness than sleep and had little value in the diagnosis of the epilepsies.

Author Affiliations
Madison, Wis

From the Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin Center for Health Sciences, Madison.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication June 1, 1972.

Reprint requests to Department of Neurology, Neurological and Rehabilitation Hospital, 1954 E Washington Ave, Madison, Wis 53704 (Dr. Celesia).

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ABSTRACT