title: EEG and epilepsy in the elderly compared to a younger group.
abstract: EEG in epilepsy in the elderly (onset > 60 yrs) was investigated (161 patients--302 EEGs) and was compared to a group of younger patients (onset 20-59 yrs) matched for sex ratio (also 161 patients--296 EEGs). In the elderly, the frequency of the background rhythm was decreased, as was the rhythmicity and amplitude. Complex partial attacks were twice as often seen in the older group, but generalized tonic-clonic seizures were more than three times as often in the younger group. The major etiology in the elderly was cerebrovascular disease, but brain tumors were found in nearly one quarter, while head injury, drug abuse, and AVM were more often seen in the younger patients. The first EEG was positive for epileptiform activity in 83%, later at 92-93% in both groups, emphasizing adequate sleep records. Although temporal lobe abnormalities were most often seen, frontal lobe discharges and slow waves were significantly more often noted in the elderly. As an example of the prominence of epileptiform activity in some elderly, PLEDs and very many discharges were seen mainly in the older group, which less often showed only rare discharges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago 60612, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zialcita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000503:physiopathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged