Rolandic spikes in the inter-ictal EEG of children: contribution to diagnosis, classification and prognosis of epilepsy.
The clinical correlates of Rolandic spikes were studied in 47 children to determine the significance of this EEG finding to the diagnosis and classification of epilepsy. The children were classified into 'functional' and 'organic' groups, with and without epilepsy. Children with epilepsy were further subdivided into those with Rulandic and those with non-Rulandic seizures. In children without neurological abnormalities, the EEG finding of Rolandic spikes plays a decisive role in the diagnosis of an epileptic syndrome as benign focal epilepsy of childhood with centro-temporal spikes (BECT), a diagnosis with an excellent prognosis. Neurological and neuroradiological examinations of the 'functional' group revealed that the Rolandic spike may occur as a true 'functional' spike. The frequency of a family history of epilepsy among neurologically normal children with Rolandic spikes suggests, in addition to the inheritance of BECT and the EEG trait, the existence of a hereditary susceptibility to epilepsy.
van der Meij
W
W
Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van Huffelen
A C
AC
Willemse
J
J
Schenk-Rootlieb
A J
AJ
Meiners
L C
LC
D000293:Adolescent; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology