title: Absent posterior alpha rhythm: An indirect indicator of seizure disorder?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Absence of normal posterior alpha rhythm is an indirect indicator of seizure disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study group consists of 116 child and adolescent patients in the age range of 5-17 years, with established history of seizure disorder. Follow-up cases of seizure disorder formed first comparison group, patients with a history of pseudo-seizures formed second comparison group and patients with a history of headache formed the third comparison group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In significant 48.3% (56) patients within the study group there was no visible alpha rhythm. Whereas, this absent alpha rhythm criteria was seen in only 11.2% (4) patients in first and 15% (8) patients in second and in only 6.1% (2) patients in third comparison groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Absent alpha rhythm- a criterion seems to have a certain amount of specificity for electroencephalograms (EEGs) with seizure disorder patients. Presence of seizure activity and absence of alpha activity in EEG significantly correlated to each other (Significant at < 0.01 level). Absent alpha rhythm appears to be a state marker rather than a trait marker of seizure disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal.
authors.forename: Tapas Kumar
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Aich
keywords: Absent alpha; adolescent seizure disorder; alpha rhythm