Duration Of Post-ictal EEG Suppression Research Articles

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors prolong seizures – Preliminary results from an observational study

ObjectiveSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often used in the treatment of depressive disorders in patients with epilepsy. Pro- and anti-convulsive effects of SSRIs are discussed controversially. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible impact of SSRIs-treatment on duration of EEG and clinical features in epilepsy patients. MethodsWe studied video-EEG data from 162 patients with focal epilepsies between January 2006 and March 2008 using a case–control study design. Eleven patients with 19 complex focal seizures (CFSs) and 16 secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (sGTCSs) treated with SSRIs (SSRIs+) were matched to 13 patients without SSRIs-treatment (SSRIs−). We compared duration of ictal EEG in CFSs and sGTCSs, duration of convulsions in sGTCSs and duration of postictal EEG suppression after sGTCSs in SSRIs+ and SSRIs− patients. ResultsIctal EEG duration of both, CFSs and sGTCSs, was significantly longer in SSRIs+ patients than in SSRIs− patients (p=0.004 and p=0.015, respectively). No significant difference was found between convulsive phase duration of sGTCSs as well as duration of postictal EEG suppression after sGTCSs in both groups. ConclusionSeizures last significantly longer in patients with epilepsy and SSRIs as co-medication. A causative role of SSRIs in ictal activity has to be explored in prospective studies.

Quantitative EEG analysis of carbamazepine effects on amygdaloid kindled seizures in cats

We studied the effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) on seizure behaviour and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in 6 amygdala kindled cats. CBZ reduced the behavioural severity of kindled seizures and prolonged the earlier seizure stages (latency to stage 4). These effects were not always parallel by a reduction in the duration of seizure activity. EEG activity paradoxically increased in amplitude during early and mid-seizure, then fell in late seizure after CBZ. CBZ also caused an overall decrease in EEG coherence during mid and late seizure. These observations represent a first attempt to use quantitative EEG analysis to investigate the effects of anticonvulsants on electrographic seizure activity. The duration of postictal EEG suppression was reduced after CBZ treatment. The results support the view that CBZ has a major effect on limiting the spread of seizure discharges.