title: Methohexital as an activator in epileptic patients with normal electroencephalograms.
abstract: The activation by a short-acting barbiturate, methohexital, of spike and wave discharges in epileptic patients with normal EEG tracings was evaluated. Seventy-five patients and 20 healthy control subjects were studied. Non-specific changes--desynchronization, fast sharp activity and diffuse slowing--appeared in all the tracings. Only eleven patients had positive activation after methohexital administration. The results were not encouraging and indicate that methohexital is not reliable as a diagnostic tool in problematic cases of verified or suspected epilepsy with normal EEG tracings.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008723:Methohexital / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008723:Methohexital