Abnormal EEG: Normal vs Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, including children. In recent years, research has focused on understanding the differences between simple febrile seizures (SFS) and complex febrile seizures (CFS), with the aim of improving diagnosis and management strategies for preschool children.

One of the key challenges in diagnosing epilepsy is distinguishing it from normal brain activity patterns. Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) datasets have been used to analyze the functional connectivity differences between SFS and CFS in children with recent-onset febrile seizures. The results of these studies have shed new light on the effects of epilepsy in preschool children and will inform management strategies for this patient population.

In particular, research has shown that changes in cortical rather than subcortical structures of the brain occur in preschool children with epilepsy. Cortical mean curvature, surface area, and volume were mainly altered in the frontal and temporal lobes, while cortical thickness was found to be negatively correlated with duration of epilepsy.

Moreover, findings have also highlighted abnormalities in cortical and subcortical structures of the brain in preschool children with MRI-negative epilepsy. Cortical thickness, cortical mean curvature, cortical surface area, cortical volume, and volumes of subcortical structures were measured using Freesurfer software in preschool children with epilepsy and age-matched controls.

The results showed that cortical thickening was observed in specific areas of the brain, including the left fusiform gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right suborbital sulcus, and right gyrus rectus. In contrast, cortical thinning was mainly seen in the parietal lobe of preschool children with epilepsy compared to controls.

Overall, these findings provide new insights into the abnormalities that occur in the brain during epilepsy and will aid in the development of more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for this condition.

Abnormal eeg normal vs epilepsy