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Epileptology. Proc. of the Seventh International Symposium on Epilepsy
BOOK REVIEWS
447
and waking. It will be very useful to all those interested in the study of sleep. B. ROTH Dept. of Neurology, Charles University, Prague, (Czechoslovakia).
Handbook o f Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. -- A. R6mond (Ed.), Vol. 3, Part A. Acquisition of bioelectrical data: collection and amplification. -- R.J. Broughton (Ed.). (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1976, Dfl. 32.00).
Epileptology. Proc. o f the Seventh International Symposium on Epilepsy. -- D. Janz (Ed.), Berlin, June 1975. (G. Thieme, Stuttgart, 1976. 440 p., 195 figs. 188 tab. DM 65,-)
This part of the EEG Handbook is divided into 5 sections. The first deals with EEG and EMG electrodes. After a short introduction on the general properties of electrodes (for a more detailed description of electrode properties, materials etc. see volume 3C of this Handbook), the make-up, possibilities of application as well as advantages and disadvantages of the most frequently used electrodes in clinical electrophysiology are described. This section ends with a short view of future electrode developments and an appendix containing electrochemical and quantum mechanical considerations of the electrode-electrolyte interface. The second section deals with the amplification of bioelectric potentials. The most important terms such as differential amplifier, input impedance, c o m m o n mode rejection, filter, noise etc. are explained in a clear and simple way. This is also the case in the third section, where the principles of biotelemetry and telephone transmission, namely modulation and multiplexing, are explained. This makes these articles excellent introductions for readers who are not familiar with electronic amplifiers and signal transmission and the relevant terminology. In the fourth section the problems arising from data acquisition in special environments such as undersea or in space are discussed. The most essential factor in electrophysiology is the patient's safety. Therefore, the last section of this part, dealing with shock hazards, may be taken as compulsory reading for every physiologist. Summarizing, this Part of the Handbook can be recommended to EEG technicians, students and physicians who are looking for an easily understandable description of the components of the system: biopotential-electrode-amplification-recording.
77 papers were presented at this symposium, mainly dealing with three topics of epileptology: pharmacotheropy (including determination of antiepileptic drugs in blood and saliva), diagnostic methods and techniques and social aspects of the epileptic disease. The reader of these very well edited proceedings will find many subjects which are interesting from the clinical point of view: e.g. the effect of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive performance, relapses after discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs, statistical studies on the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy, on people with epilepsy who do not consult a physician and on several other psychosocial problems. A very interesting recapitulation of both theoretically and practically important problems of the relationships between forced normalization, schizophrenia and epilepsy was given by Flor°Henry and Lamprecht. Z. S E R V I T Institute of Physiology, Prague, (Czechoslovakia).
Epilepsy. A clinical, electroencephalographic and statistical study o f 466 patients. -- Tsuboi T., Christaln, W. (Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, New York, 1976. 171 p., 11 figs. 45 tables. DM 58.-) The authors made a profound statistical analysis of the relationships between age, sex, age at onset of seizures, type of seizures, EEG abnormalities, basic EEG rhythm, family predisposition to epilepsy and the presence of possible exogenous factors. A group of patients was investigated who were treated at the outpatient clinic of the department of neurology, University of Heidelberg. The relations between behavioural and EEG symptomatology, sex and age are especially interesting. Unfortunately, the problem of pharmacotherapy is missing in the study concerning the correlations between basic EEG (beta activity) and other factors. Z. SERVIT Institute of Physiology, Prague (Czechoslovakia).
P. RAPPELSBERGER Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Vienna (Austria)
Handbook o f Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. -- A. Rdmond (Ed.), Vol. 14, Part C: Brain tumors and other space occupying processes. -R. Hess (Ed.) (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1975, 72 pp., Dfl. 26.00). With his immense experience and his numerous publications in this field, Prof. Hess from Zurich was
447
and waking. It will be very useful to all those interested in the study of sleep. B. ROTH Dept. of Neurology, Charles University, Prague, (Czechoslovakia).
Handbook o f Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. -- A. R6mond (Ed.), Vol. 3, Part A. Acquisition of bioelectrical data: collection and amplification. -- R.J. Broughton (Ed.). (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1976, Dfl. 32.00).
Epileptology. Proc. o f the Seventh International Symposium on Epilepsy. -- D. Janz (Ed.), Berlin, June 1975. (G. Thieme, Stuttgart, 1976. 440 p., 195 figs. 188 tab. DM 65,-)
This part of the EEG Handbook is divided into 5 sections. The first deals with EEG and EMG electrodes. After a short introduction on the general properties of electrodes (for a more detailed description of electrode properties, materials etc. see volume 3C of this Handbook), the make-up, possibilities of application as well as advantages and disadvantages of the most frequently used electrodes in clinical electrophysiology are described. This section ends with a short view of future electrode developments and an appendix containing electrochemical and quantum mechanical considerations of the electrode-electrolyte interface. The second section deals with the amplification of bioelectric potentials. The most important terms such as differential amplifier, input impedance, c o m m o n mode rejection, filter, noise etc. are explained in a clear and simple way. This is also the case in the third section, where the principles of biotelemetry and telephone transmission, namely modulation and multiplexing, are explained. This makes these articles excellent introductions for readers who are not familiar with electronic amplifiers and signal transmission and the relevant terminology. In the fourth section the problems arising from data acquisition in special environments such as undersea or in space are discussed. The most essential factor in electrophysiology is the patient's safety. Therefore, the last section of this part, dealing with shock hazards, may be taken as compulsory reading for every physiologist. Summarizing, this Part of the Handbook can be recommended to EEG technicians, students and physicians who are looking for an easily understandable description of the components of the system: biopotential-electrode-amplification-recording.
77 papers were presented at this symposium, mainly dealing with three topics of epileptology: pharmacotheropy (including determination of antiepileptic drugs in blood and saliva), diagnostic methods and techniques and social aspects of the epileptic disease. The reader of these very well edited proceedings will find many subjects which are interesting from the clinical point of view: e.g. the effect of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive performance, relapses after discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs, statistical studies on the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy, on people with epilepsy who do not consult a physician and on several other psychosocial problems. A very interesting recapitulation of both theoretically and practically important problems of the relationships between forced normalization, schizophrenia and epilepsy was given by Flor°Henry and Lamprecht. Z. S E R V I T Institute of Physiology, Prague, (Czechoslovakia).
Epilepsy. A clinical, electroencephalographic and statistical study o f 466 patients. -- Tsuboi T., Christaln, W. (Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, New York, 1976. 171 p., 11 figs. 45 tables. DM 58.-) The authors made a profound statistical analysis of the relationships between age, sex, age at onset of seizures, type of seizures, EEG abnormalities, basic EEG rhythm, family predisposition to epilepsy and the presence of possible exogenous factors. A group of patients was investigated who were treated at the outpatient clinic of the department of neurology, University of Heidelberg. The relations between behavioural and EEG symptomatology, sex and age are especially interesting. Unfortunately, the problem of pharmacotherapy is missing in the study concerning the correlations between basic EEG (beta activity) and other factors. Z. SERVIT Institute of Physiology, Prague (Czechoslovakia).
P. RAPPELSBERGER Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Vienna (Austria)
Handbook o f Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. -- A. Rdmond (Ed.), Vol. 14, Part C: Brain tumors and other space occupying processes. -R. Hess (Ed.) (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1975, 72 pp., Dfl. 26.00). With his immense experience and his numerous publications in this field, Prof. Hess from Zurich was