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Functional Changes of the Brainstem Triggering Diffuse 3–Hz Spike‐and‐Wave Complexes
Author(s) -
Kohsaka Shinobu,
Sakai Taeko,
Mizukami Susumu,
Uetake Kimiaki,
Kohsaka Masako
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1998.tb01967.x
Subject(s) - brainstem , audiology , binaural recording , analysis of variance , amplitude , electroencephalography , psychology , epilepsy , subtraction , neuroscience , medicine , physics , mathematics , optics , arithmetic
Purpose : We investigated the functional changes of the brainstem to evaluate the “centrencephalic system” hypothesis in human primary generalized epilepsy (PGE) with diffuse 3–Hz spike‐and‐wave complexes (SWCs). Methods : In nine patients diagnosed with typical absence seizures, 3–HZ SWCs were recorded (six channel EEGs including C z ‐A 1 and C z ‐A 2 ) together with a binaural acoustic triggering signal (20 stimuli/s repetition rate). The EEG data were sampled (10 kHz for sampling frequency), and then brainstem auditory evoked potentials were analyzed sequentially (128 samples averaged) before and during the emergence of SWCs after trend‐subtraction in each sample. Sequential changes of four parameters (amplitude and area of both wave III and wave V) were tested for time course differences by one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures. Results : The wave‐III amplitude showed biphasic changes (an increment between 11.2 ± 3.2 and 6.4 ± 3.2 s followed by an abrupt decrement) before the onset of SWCs while at the same time, the wave‐III area showed a gradual decrement. Both wave‐V amplitude and area showed no significant changes. Conclusions : The results disclose the functional changes in the ventral part of the lower brainstem preceding the onset of 3–Hz SWCs. The results suggest that these changes of neuronal excitability trigger the SWCs and substantiate the centrencephalic system hypothesis for human PGE.