title: Distribution of spatial complexity of EEG in idiopathic generalized epilepsy and its change after chronic valproate therapy.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the global and regional spatial synchrony of the EEG background activity, and to assess the effect of chronic valproate therapy on spatial synchrony. 15 idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) patients were examined and compared to 16 normal controls. Resting EEG with 19 channels was investigated before and during chronic administration of valproate (VPA). Omega, a single-valued measure of spatial covariance complexity, was calculated to assess the degree of spatial synchrony of EEG. Furthermore, a new parameter was defined to characterize the distribution of spatial synchrony (Antero-Posterior Complexity Ratio, APCR). Global Omega complexity was significantly lower in IGE compared to controls, while regional complexity showed significant differences only in the anterior region: the IGE group showed lower complexity. APCR was significantly lower in IGE. VPA therapy (1) lowered the global complexity, (2) increased regional complexity in the anterior region, but decreased it in the posterior region, and (3) increased APCR. In IGE lower complexity, i.e. enhanced spatial synchrony, was found, especially in the anterior cortical area. VPA modified the distribution of spatial synchrony in IGE patients towards that of normal controls, although the effect is not identical with full normalization of cortical bioelectric activity. Whether the observed change of spatial synchrony distribution may reflect the normalizing effect of valproate on the brain state is worth further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical Center, University of Pécs, H-7623, Pécs, Rét utca 2, Hungary. istvan.kondakor@aok.pte.hu
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kondakor
authors.forename: Marton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wackermann
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gyimesi
authors.forename: Jozsef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Czopf
authors.forename: Bela
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clemens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid