Abnormal Epileptiform Patterns Flashcards
7 cards from real EEG practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Abnormal Epileptiform Patterns flashcards as text
Which EEG finding is the ictal correlate of epilepsia partialis continua (Kojewnikow syndrome)?
Answer: Continuous focal rhythmic delta activity with embedded spikes over the motor cortex
Epilepsia partialis continua produces continuous or near-continuous focal rhythmic discharges, often with embedded spikes, localized to the contralateral motor cortex.
On a neonatal EEG, which feature best distinguishes a seizure discharge from a normal sharp transient?
Answer: Evolution in frequency, amplitude, or spatial distribution over time
Neonatal seizures are defined by electrographic evolution — a clear change in frequency, morphology, or field — rather than by a fixed amplitude or sleep-state rule.
Generalized paroxysmal fast activity (GPFA) during slow-wave sleep is the characteristic ictal correlate of which seizure type in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome?
Answer: Tonic seizures
Tonic seizures in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are associated with generalized paroxysmal fast activity (GPFA, 10–25 Hz) predominantly during NREM sleep.
A 6-Hz spike-and-wave burst lasting less than 2 seconds seen in a drowsy young adult is most consistent with:
Answer: Phantom spike-and-wave (benign variant)
The 6-Hz 'phantom' spike-and-wave is a benign normal variant in drowsy young adults and should not be misinterpreted as pathological epileptiform activity.
Which EEG pattern during absence status epilepticus distinguishes it from typical 3-Hz absence discharges?
Answer: The discharges become fragmented, irregular, and slower (< 2.5 Hz) over time
During prolonged absence status epilepticus, the initially regular 3-Hz spike-and-wave tends to slow, fragment, and become irregular as status continues.
In juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), the EEG hallmark is polyspike-and-wave discharges typically at which frequency?
Answer: 4–6 Hz
JME is characterized by generalized polyspike-and-wave complexes at 4–6 Hz, typically maximal in the morning and activated by sleep deprivation.
An EEG shows electrical status epilepticus during slow-wave sleep (ESES), with spike-wave index exceeding 85%. This pattern underlies which syndrome?
Answer: Continuous spike-waves during slow sleep (CSWS) / Landau-Kleffner syndrome spectrum
ESES (spike-wave index > 85% during NREM sleep) is the electrographic hallmark of CSWS and Landau-Kleffner syndrome, associated with acquired cognitive or language regression.