Traumatic brain injury: An EEG point of view.

Jéssica Natuline Ianof,Renato Anghinah

doi:10.1590/1980-57642016dn11-010002

Jéssica Natuline Ianof, Renato Anghinah

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-57642016dn11-010002

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Journal: Dementia & neuropsychologia	Publication Date: Mar 1, 2017
Citations: 58	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a silent epidemic. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) causes brain injury that results in electrophysiologic abnormalities visible on electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. The purpose of this brief review was to discuss the importance of EEG findings in traumatic brain injury. Relevant articles published during the 1996-2016 period were retrieved from Medline (PubMed). The keywords were in English and included "traumatic brain injury", "EEG" and "quantitative EEG". We found 460 articles, analyzed 52 and selected 13 articles. EEG after TBI shows slowing of the posterior dominant rhythm and increased diffuse theta slowing, which may revert to normal within hours or may clear more slowly over many weeks. There are no clear EEG or quantitative EEG (qEEG) features unique to mild traumatic brain injury. Although the literature indicates the promise of qEEG in reaching a diagnosis and indicating prognosis of mTBI, further study is needed to corroborate and refine these methods.

Highlights

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a silent epidemic
After Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), most patients (86%) with an abnormal neurological examination had an abnormal EEG
The keywords were in English and included “ traumatic brain injury”, “EEG” and “quantitative EEG”

Summary

Introduction

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a silent epidemic. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) causes brain injury that results in electrophysiologic abnormalities visible on electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. The purpose of this brief review was to discuss the importance of EEG findings in traumatic brain injury. There are no clear EEG or quantitative EEG (qEEG) features unique to mild traumatic brain injury. O trauma cranioencefálico leve causa uma lesão cerebral que resulta em anormalidades eletrofisiológicas visíveis nos registros eletroencefalográficos (EEG). Os artigos relevantes publicados durante o período 1996-2016 foram selecionados do Medline (PubMed). As palavras-chave estavam em inglês e incluíam “traumatic brain injury”, “EEG” e “quantitative EEG”. Evidence of impaired brain function may include one or more of the following3: Loss of consciousness (LOC) or alteration of consciousness – the individual feels “disoriented” or “confused”;

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Findings

Conclusion