What is a spike and wave pattern?

Spike-and-wave is a pattern of the electroencephalogram (EEG) typically observed during epileptic seizures. A spike-and-wave discharge is a regular, symmetrical, generalized EEG pattern seen particularly during absence epilepsy, also known as ‘petit mal’ epilepsy.

What are slow wave discharges on EEG?

Focal slow wave activity on the EEG is indicative of focal cerebral pathology of the underlying brain region. Slowing may be intermittent or persistent, with more persistent or consistently slower activity generally indicating more severe underlying focal cerebral dysfunction.

What can cause spikes in EEG?

Epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-wave during sleep (CSWS): Continuous spike and wave activity is seen during sleep. This can be seen in many different seizure subtypes and epilepsy syndromes. It can be caused by structural abnormalities of the brain, genetic abnormalities, and metabolic derangements.

Does epileptiform mean epilepsy?

Interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs), meaning spikes, polyspikes, sharp waves, or spike and slow-wave complexes without observed clinical seizures, are commonly observed in children with epilepsy. Neuropsychological evidence indicates that childhood epilepsy often has negative effects on cognitive function [2].

What are slow waves?

Because the cells are electrically coupled, these fluctuations in membrane potential spread to adjacent sections of muscle, resulting in what are called “slow waves” – waves of partial depolarization in smooth muscle that sweep along the digestive tube for long distances.

What causes slow brain activity?

Some people may have a genetic predisposition to age-related white matter decay, a poorly understood but actively studied hypothesis. In other individuals, slowed processing speed could be the first sign of a neurodegenerative illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Head trauma, including concussions, may play a role.

Are spikes normal on EEG?

Some waveforms or activity on an EEG are normal, while others may be within normal limits for some people but not others. Spikes or sharp waves are terms commonly seen in EEG reports. If these happen only once in a while or at certain times of day, they may not mean anything.

What causes slowing of the brain?

Is epileptiform curable?

There’s currently no cure for epilepsy, but it can be managed with medications and other strategies.

The most frequently encountered spike-and-wave pattern is a bilaterally synchronous, single or polyspike discharge, followed in frequency by rhythmic slow waves. Both features are surface-negative, and these discharges can be 100 to 200 msec long.

What is the Spike-and-wave pattern in epilepsy?

The spike-and-wave pattern is most commonly researched in absence epilepsy, but is common in several epilepsies such as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Ohtahara syndrome. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are commonly prescribed to treat epileptic seizures, and new ones are being discovered with fewer adverse effects.

What is Spike-and-wave activity in sleep?

Spike-and-wave activity occupies about 85% of the non-rapid eye movement sleep. This continuous pattern during sleep, like other aspects of spike-and-wave activity, are not completely understood either.

How many patients with slow spike-wave activity in EEG have seizures?

Clinical features were studied in 83 patients with slow spike-wave activity in the EEG. Epileptic seizures, usually intractable, occurred in 82 patients. The majority had the onset of seizures during the first 2 years of life.