title: Relationship between prolonged and self-limited photoparoxysmal responses and seizure incidence: study and review.
abstract: Photoparoxysmal responses (PPRs) are generalized epileptiform abnormalities occurring during photic stimulation. Prolonged PPRs, which outlast the stimulus, can be distinguished from self-limited PPRs, which cease spontaneously or when the flashes stop. Reilly and Peters (1973) found a higher incidence of seizures in patients with prolonged, rather than self-limited, PPRs. More recently, Jayakar and Chiappa (1990) reported a similar seizure incidence in the prolonged and self-limited groups. In order to assess these discordant results, we reviewed EEG records performed in our laboratory from 1983 to 1988. Sixty-eight EEGs had PPRs (19 prolonged and 49 self-limited). Patients with PPRs had a significantly higher incidence of seizures than controls (total patients versus controls, p less than 0.001; prolonged subgroup compared to controls, p less than 0.001; self-limited subgroup versus controls, p less than 0.01). Comparing PPR groups, we found that a prolonged PPR was associated with a higher incidence of seizures than a self-limited response (p less than 0.05); however, patients with a prolonged PPR more often had other epileptiform abnormalities than the self-limited group (p less than 0.001). There was no difference in seizure incidence between the PPR groups when comparing patients whose EEGs also contained other epileptiform abnormalities. Meta-analysis suggests apparent differences among the three studies are superficial.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Puglia
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology