Clin Neurophysiol. 2021 Jul 3;132(9):2232-2239. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.06.012. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore relationship between EEG theta activity and clinical data that imply the degree of genetic determination of epilepsy.
METHODS: Clinical data of interest were epilepsy diagnosis and positive / negative family history of epilepsy. Study groups were: idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), focal epilepsy (FE); FE of unknown etiology (FEUNK), FE of postnatal-acquired etiology (FEPA); all patients with positive / negative family history of epilepsy (FAPALL, FANALL, respectively), disregarding of the syndrome; FAP patients with 1st degree affected relative (FAP1) and those with 2nd degree epileptic relative only (FAP2). Quantitative EEG analysis assessed amount of theta (3.5-7.0 Hz) activity in 180 seconds of artifact-free waking EEG background activity for each patient and group. Group comparison was carried out by nonparametric statistics.
RESULTS: Differences of theta activity were: FAPALL > FANALL (p = 0.01); FAP1 > FAP2 (p = 0.2752). IGE > FE (p = 0.02); FEUNK > FEPA (p = 0.07).
CONCLUSIONS: This was the first attempt to explore and quantitatively ascertain relationship between an EEG variable and clinical data that imply greater or lesser degree of genetic determination in epilepsy.
SIGNIFICANCE: Theta activity is endophenotype that bridges the gap between epilepsy susceptibility genes and clinical phenotypes. Amount of theta activity is indicative of degree of genetic determination of the epilepsies.
PMID:34315064 | DOI:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.06.012
