title: Cortical excitability and recovery curve analysis in generalized epilepsy.
abstract: Seven untreated patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy were studied with recovery curve analysis using transcranial magnetic stimulation and compared with 16 controls. Patients had a shorter period of inhibition of the test response following a conditioning stimulus and demonstrated a period of increased facilitation of the test response at interstimulus intervals of 200 to 300 msec, which was similar to the mean interdischarge interval of spike-wave activity on EEG. This provides further evidence of cortical hyperexcitability in idiopathic generalized epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brodtmann
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Macdonell
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gilligan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Curatolo
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Berkovic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged