title: Local brain activity persists during apparently generalized postictal EEG suppression.
abstract: Postictal generalized EEG suppression (PGES) frequently occurs after generalized convulsive seizures (GCS) and may be involved in the pathophysiology of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). It is usually determined using conventional scalp EEG which is likely to miss cerebral activity in deeper brain structures. Here, we examined intracranial EEG activity after GCS to unravel the pattern and extent of local brain activity during apparent PGES on scalp EEG (s-PGES).
  
  
  
  We retrospectively reviewed electroencephalographic data of people with chronic epilepsy who had GCS during presurgical video-EEG monitoring using simultaneous intracranial and scalp EEG (10-20 system) electrodes.
  
  
  
  Twenty-five GCS (20 with s-PGES) of 15 patients with an average number of 88±42 intracranial electrode contacts were included. The majority of GCS with s-PGES (18 of 20) displayed persisting or reemerging intracranial EEG activity during apparent PGES on scalp EEG. Three patterns were identified: Pattern 1 (11 GCS, 6 patients) consisted of continuous local interictal activity; Pattern 2 (5 GCS, 5 patients) displayed suppressed EEG activity at all intracranial contacts in the early phase of s-PGES, but reemerging local brain activity before s-PGES dissolved; and Pattern 3 (2 GCS, 2 patients) showed persistent local ictal activity during s-PGES. Persisting intracranial EEG activity at PGES onset on scalp EEG was present in 10±14% (range: 0 to 42%) of all intracranial contacts and mostly in the temporal lobe.
  
  
  
  Our results reveal that, during apparently generalized postictal EEG suppression, local brain activity persists or reemerges in most GCS. Possible implications of this localized neuronal activity in the context of SUDEP are discussed in the paper.
authors: Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Electronic address: dirk-matthias.altenmueller@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors: Dirk-Matthias
authors: DM
authors: Altenmüller
authors: Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.schulze-bonhage@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Schulze-Bonhage
authors: Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: christian.elger@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors: Christian E
authors: CE
authors: Elger
authors: Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: rainer.surges@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Surges
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Intracranial EEG; Postictal generalized EEG suppression; SUDEP; Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy