L'elettroencefalogramma nelle convulsioni neonatali: possibilità diagnostiche e prognostiche

A clinical approache to newborn epilepsy must start for the careful description of seizures even in the period life. The permits us to classift correctly neoantal seizure; methodical post-mortem correlative studies could laed us to a better comprehension of their pathogenic mechanism.EEG-poligraphic records significance in diagnosis and prognosis is also stressed.Repetitive sharp waves formed the most frequent critical pattern; during virtually "generalised" seizures tonic and clinic phase cliniccaly and electrically distinguished are illustrated.Critic anachronostic activities (alpha and theta-like) were observed in one case.Flat tracings or repetitive slow waves (delta waves) activity were found in prterm babies during apnoeic or tonic attacks and in at term ones during the rare tonic seizures.; they generally corresponded to a severe CNS damage destructive in nature and ha a bad prognosis oten evolving in a West hypsarrhytmia.In so called " atypical seizures" the importance of EEG-poligraphic monitorin emerges.As well Known, inactive or low voltage tracing and periodic intercritical activities had an unvarouable prognosis.The possible development of a West syndrome from a persisting anterocentral show dyshrytmia is proved.Amultidocal paroxysmal activity in interseizure phases involved a bad significance.On the contrary, continuous theta-like rhythms on a precedent paroxysmal activity, if rapidly and completely established, were always followed by a good evolution in our series.