title: Neuropsychological EEG activation in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
abstract: We studied the effects of higher mental activity on the EEG, i.e., neuropsychological EEG activation (NPA), in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Thirty patients with JME underwent a conventional EEG recording and EEG recording during performance of a battery of twelve neuropsychological tasks, which involved decision making, reading, calculations, constructive activities and drawing. Twenty-three JME patients (76.6%) responded (i.e., showed EEG activation) to at least one neuropsychological task (p = 0.003). Four neuropsychological tasks, two involving the use of the hands and two without manual involvement, were associated with a high frequency of EEG activation (40-60% of JME patients), although statistical analysis did not reveal any one test as the most significant for NPA activation. Neuropsychological EEG activation, using a variety of tasks both manual and non-manual, is a useful tool in evaluating patients with JME.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Neurology, University of Thessaloniki, Greece. nlefk@tee.gr
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karachristianou
authors.forename: Sevasti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bostantjopoulou
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Katsarou
authors.forename: Aristides
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020190:Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015985:Precipitating Factors; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric