Neuropediatrics 2011; 42(2): 51-54
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1277160
Original Article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Abnormal Fast Activity before the Onset of West Syndrome

F. Endoh1 , H. Yoshinaga1 , Y. Ishizaki1 , M. Oka1 , K. Kobayashi1 , Y. Ohtsuka1
  • 1Department of Child Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

received 16.05.2010

accepted 06.04.2011

Publikationsdatum:
02. Mai 2011 (online)

Abstract

In our sequential EEG study performed on 68 infants with various pre- and perinatal brain insults, we found peculiar abnormal fast activity (AFAs) in 12 patients. 9 of the 12 patients with AFAs later developed West syndrome (WS) compared with only 3 of the 56 patients without AFAs (p<0.001, χ2 test). We analyzed these AFAs using EEG topography, and compared them with ictal fast activity (IFA) corresponding to tonic spasms observed later in the same patients after they had developed WS. We also investigated the clinical and EEG features in these patients. AFAs were first observed commonly at 4–5 months of CA, before the onset of WS. AFA topographic maps revealed posterior predominance in 11 of the 12 patients; IFA maps also showed posterior predominance but were more widely distributed. We propose that, though AFAs and IFAs are different, they share certain aspects of their pathophysiology, and that the maturational process of the occipital cortex plays an important role in the shared aspects. Since AFAs are observed before the onset of WS, they can be considered a sign that WS is imminent.

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Correspondence

Fumika Endoh

Department of Child Neurology

Okayama University Graduate

School of Medicine

Dentistry and Pharmaceutical

Sciences

2-5-1 Shikata-cho

700-8558 Okayama

Japan

Telefon: +81/86/235 7372

Fax: +81/86/235 7377

eMail: endohf@md.okayama-u.ac.jp