Characteristic Distribution of Interictal Brain Electrical Activity in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy

Abstract

(1) Pathological interictal EEG activity is not evenly distributed across the cortex in IGE. The prefrontal area of increased activity corresponds to the area that is essential in the buildup of the ictal spike-wave paroxysms (absence seizures). The existence of the posterior "center of gravity" of increased EEG activity in IGE was confirmed. The frontal area of decreased activity might be related to the cognitive deficit described in IGE patients. (2) Increased activity in a lot of ontogenetically older areas (including the hippocampi) and decreased activity in the majority of the isocortex is a peculiar pattern that argues for a developmental hypothesis for IGE.