Epilepsia. 2025 Jul 30. doi: 10.1111/epi.18557. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To characterize electroencephalographic (EEG) profiles of short spike-and-wave bursts (SWBs) in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy reporting sensations of fleeting/almost loss of consciousness, described as “a blip on the screen”-a phenomenon first termed “blips” by J.W. Lance.
METHODS: Among 176 consecutive patients, 19 were included based on a diagnosis of idiopathic generalized epilepsy and the presence of SWBs on EEG recordings. Patients were classified as “blippers” (yes) or “non-blippers” (no) based on their response to whether they had ever experienced “blip”-like sensations. A total of 624 SWBs extracted from EEG traces were compared between groups. The analysis focused on the spike (10-125 Hz) and wave (2.5-4 Hz) frequency band components across predefined spatial regions of interests.
RESULTS: SWBs were significantly longer in blippers than in non-blippers (median: 1.2 s, interquartile range [IQR]: (Q1-Q3): 753-1796 vs 0.9 s, 599-1541; p < .001, r = .14). EEG analyses revealed two distinct spatial profiles, with higher fractional change in wave amplitude over anterior frontal (39.73, 12.56-81.27 vs 17.34, 5.18-56.95; p < .01, r = .13), frontal (46.94, 20.55-100.28 vs 31.08, 9.51-88.81; p < .05, r = .10), and occipital (25.25, 11.51-50.97 vs 14.99, 4.94-43.80; p < .01, r = .13) regions, but not parietal (p > .05). Similarly, spikes showed increased amplitude in anterior frontal (5.32, 2.50-15.27 vs 4.20, 2.58-7.60; p < .05, r = .09) and central (3.95, 2.81-6.20 vs 3.07, 1.82-5.08; p < .01, r = .14) regions, with lower occipital power in blippers (1.93, 1.36-3.19 vs 2.53, 1.52-4.33; p < .05, r = -.10). Overall, spike and wave amplitudes were higher in blippers, particularly at SWB onset. All p-values were false discover rate (FDR)-corrected and analyses were conducted at the SWB level.
SIGNIFICANCE: Distinct EEG profiles of SWBs may be associated with self-reported blip experiences.
PMID:40736396 | DOI:10.1111/epi.18557
Recent Comments