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Correlation between clinical psychometry and ERPs in children with minimal brain dysfunction
S4
OF EPILEPSY:
AETIOLOGY CASES.
A PROSPECTIVE
STUDY
OF
170
PATIENT
PERSPECTIVE
WO. Anuda,
A.E.M.
ON EPILEPSY.
Vieira and M.A.R.
Mello
W.O. Armda (Centro (Centro
de Salide Metropolitano,
Curitiba,
The purpose of this study was to establish the aetiology of epilepsy in 170 chronic epileptics (87 female, 83 male, aged 14-74 years (mean 33.9 2 12.6 years)). Patients under 10 years old and those with alcoholism were excluded. All underwent neurological examination, routine blood tests, EEG and m-scan. Fourteen patients (8.2%) were submitted to spinal tap. Neurological examination was abnormal in 22 (12.9%) as was the EEG in 73 (42.9%) and the CT-scan in 67 (39.4%). According to the International Classification of Epileptic Seizures (1981), 87 (50.6%) have generalised seizures, 47 (28.0%) partial seizures secondarily generalised, 18 (10.6%) simple partial and complex partial Four patients seizures, 14 (8.2%) generalised and partial seizures. (2.4%) could not be classified. In 105 (62%) patients the aetiology was Neurocysticercosis accounted for 45 (26.5%) of cases, unknown. followed by cerebrovascular disease 6 (3.5%) perinatal damage 3 (1.7%), familial epilepsy 3 (1.7%) head injury 2 (1.2%), infective 1 (0.6%) and miscellaneous 5 (2.9%).
NEURGCYSTICERCOSIS
Metropolitano,
Curitiba,
Brazil)
Idiopathic
Age
51/44 33.7
(years)
Age of onset Type
(years)
Neurocysticercosi
s
15/30
+ 12.4
34.8 k 13.0
20.8 t 14.9
22.4 + 14.4
of epilepsy
(Universita
50.5%
40.0%
2) Partial
37.8%
46.6%
3) 1+2
10.5%
6.6%
AS. Avila,
47.3%
35.0%
(Biomedical Brazil)
62.5%
57.7%
Focal
EEG
There was a higher proportion of female epileptics in the cysticercosis group (P < 0.01). No other data was useful in distinguishing between the groups.
of Torino,
Italy)
As the “minimal brain dysfunction” syndrome can consist of a wide variety of overlapping symptoms it is difficult to follow a standard diagnostic procedure which includes all the possible functional areas (motor area; cognitive area; language etc.). Psychometric tests (WISC, Bender, Stanford - Binet etc.) allow a diagnostic evaluation but this may be cconditioned by subjective elements. P300, CNV and the slow cognitive reading evoked potentials represent a modern approach to diagnosing this disorder. Topographic mapping provides a temporal view of evoked bioelectrical activity in the different cerebral zones making it possible to distinguish various event-related potentials close to the generator area and elsewhere. We studied a group of fifteen children (aged from 10 to 14 years) with minimal brain dysfunction who had normal neuroimaging but intellectual performance below average. We compared psychometric data with P300 and language evoked potential maps. We describe preliminary data that show a discrepancy between clinical psychometry and neurophysiological data.
1) Generalised
Abnormal
BETWEEN CLINICAL PSYCHOMETRY AND ERI’s WITH MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION.
G. Asleggiano
Two groups of chronic epileptic patients, one with neurocysticerocosis (n=45), and the other with idiopathic epilepsy (n=9S), were compared with respect to sex, age, age of onset, type of epilepsy (International Classification, 1981) and EEG findings. All patients had a normal neurological examination. CT-scan was performed in each case, and CSF examination when indicated.
Sex (M/F)
Brazil)
One hundred chronic epileptics with a normal neurological examination (58 female and 42 male, ages ranging from 16 to 6.5 years (mean 28.129.4)) completed a questionnaire concerning their own and other peoples’ attitudes to epilepsy. Thirteen were illiterate. Forty six had generalised seizures (International Classification, 1981). Twenty five patients believed epilepsy is an infection, is contagious (lo%), saliva can transmit it (15%) and can be caused by evil spirits (11%). Many people avoid contact with epileptic persons (64%); employers discriminate against epileptic patients (84%); 32% and 27% would not tell their friends and employers, respectively, that they suffer from epilepsy. Epileptic adults can work like any normal adult (69%) but should avoid physically (48%) and mentally (64%) strenuous work. Epileptic patients cannot make close friends (ll%), should not marry (15%) should not bear children (22%), cannot drive motor vehicles (83%). Epileptic persons have more tendency to violence (57%). They have less ability to be educated (48%) and have less intelligence (43%). Ninety-five of the epileptics said they would like to know more about epilepsy, and 80% would like to be members of an epilepsy association.
CORRFIATION IN CHILDREN
de Sa6de
Curitiba,
AND EPILEPSY.
WO. Arruda (Centro
de Sairde Metropolitano,
Brazil)
QUANTITATIVE EEG SYSTEM WITH BRAIN ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY MAPPING FOR A PERSONAL COMPUTER R. Piedade, Engineering
J. Nadal and A.F. Infantosi Program
- COPPE/UFRJ,
Rio de Janeiro,
A system for processing brain electrical activity on an IBM compatible computer (PC/AT) with EGA adapter has been developed. The EEG is acquired using a 16 channel electroencephalograph, signal conditioning modules and a 10 bit A/D converter. The system comprises 3 units: digital EEEG (DEEG), spectral analysis (SA) and topographic brain
OF EPILEPSY:
AETIOLOGY CASES.
A PROSPECTIVE
STUDY
OF
170
PATIENT
PERSPECTIVE
WO. Anuda,
A.E.M.
ON EPILEPSY.
Vieira and M.A.R.
Mello
W.O. Armda (Centro (Centro
de Salide Metropolitano,
Curitiba,
The purpose of this study was to establish the aetiology of epilepsy in 170 chronic epileptics (87 female, 83 male, aged 14-74 years (mean 33.9 2 12.6 years)). Patients under 10 years old and those with alcoholism were excluded. All underwent neurological examination, routine blood tests, EEG and m-scan. Fourteen patients (8.2%) were submitted to spinal tap. Neurological examination was abnormal in 22 (12.9%) as was the EEG in 73 (42.9%) and the CT-scan in 67 (39.4%). According to the International Classification of Epileptic Seizures (1981), 87 (50.6%) have generalised seizures, 47 (28.0%) partial seizures secondarily generalised, 18 (10.6%) simple partial and complex partial Four patients seizures, 14 (8.2%) generalised and partial seizures. (2.4%) could not be classified. In 105 (62%) patients the aetiology was Neurocysticercosis accounted for 45 (26.5%) of cases, unknown. followed by cerebrovascular disease 6 (3.5%) perinatal damage 3 (1.7%), familial epilepsy 3 (1.7%) head injury 2 (1.2%), infective 1 (0.6%) and miscellaneous 5 (2.9%).
NEURGCYSTICERCOSIS
Metropolitano,
Curitiba,
Brazil)
Idiopathic
Age
51/44 33.7
(years)
Age of onset Type
(years)
Neurocysticercosi
s
15/30
+ 12.4
34.8 k 13.0
20.8 t 14.9
22.4 + 14.4
of epilepsy
(Universita
50.5%
40.0%
2) Partial
37.8%
46.6%
3) 1+2
10.5%
6.6%
AS. Avila,
47.3%
35.0%
(Biomedical Brazil)
62.5%
57.7%
Focal
EEG
There was a higher proportion of female epileptics in the cysticercosis group (P < 0.01). No other data was useful in distinguishing between the groups.
of Torino,
Italy)
As the “minimal brain dysfunction” syndrome can consist of a wide variety of overlapping symptoms it is difficult to follow a standard diagnostic procedure which includes all the possible functional areas (motor area; cognitive area; language etc.). Psychometric tests (WISC, Bender, Stanford - Binet etc.) allow a diagnostic evaluation but this may be cconditioned by subjective elements. P300, CNV and the slow cognitive reading evoked potentials represent a modern approach to diagnosing this disorder. Topographic mapping provides a temporal view of evoked bioelectrical activity in the different cerebral zones making it possible to distinguish various event-related potentials close to the generator area and elsewhere. We studied a group of fifteen children (aged from 10 to 14 years) with minimal brain dysfunction who had normal neuroimaging but intellectual performance below average. We compared psychometric data with P300 and language evoked potential maps. We describe preliminary data that show a discrepancy between clinical psychometry and neurophysiological data.
1) Generalised
Abnormal
BETWEEN CLINICAL PSYCHOMETRY AND ERI’s WITH MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION.
G. Asleggiano
Two groups of chronic epileptic patients, one with neurocysticerocosis (n=45), and the other with idiopathic epilepsy (n=9S), were compared with respect to sex, age, age of onset, type of epilepsy (International Classification, 1981) and EEG findings. All patients had a normal neurological examination. CT-scan was performed in each case, and CSF examination when indicated.
Sex (M/F)
Brazil)
One hundred chronic epileptics with a normal neurological examination (58 female and 42 male, ages ranging from 16 to 6.5 years (mean 28.129.4)) completed a questionnaire concerning their own and other peoples’ attitudes to epilepsy. Thirteen were illiterate. Forty six had generalised seizures (International Classification, 1981). Twenty five patients believed epilepsy is an infection, is contagious (lo%), saliva can transmit it (15%) and can be caused by evil spirits (11%). Many people avoid contact with epileptic persons (64%); employers discriminate against epileptic patients (84%); 32% and 27% would not tell their friends and employers, respectively, that they suffer from epilepsy. Epileptic adults can work like any normal adult (69%) but should avoid physically (48%) and mentally (64%) strenuous work. Epileptic patients cannot make close friends (ll%), should not marry (15%) should not bear children (22%), cannot drive motor vehicles (83%). Epileptic persons have more tendency to violence (57%). They have less ability to be educated (48%) and have less intelligence (43%). Ninety-five of the epileptics said they would like to know more about epilepsy, and 80% would like to be members of an epilepsy association.
CORRFIATION IN CHILDREN
de Sa6de
Curitiba,
AND EPILEPSY.
WO. Arruda (Centro
de Sairde Metropolitano,
Brazil)
QUANTITATIVE EEG SYSTEM WITH BRAIN ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY MAPPING FOR A PERSONAL COMPUTER R. Piedade, Engineering
J. Nadal and A.F. Infantosi Program
- COPPE/UFRJ,
Rio de Janeiro,
A system for processing brain electrical activity on an IBM compatible computer (PC/AT) with EGA adapter has been developed. The EEG is acquired using a 16 channel electroencephalograph, signal conditioning modules and a 10 bit A/D converter. The system comprises 3 units: digital EEEG (DEEG), spectral analysis (SA) and topographic brain