Treatment Effects on Neonatal EEG.

Conventional EEG and amplitude-integrated electroencephalography are used in neonates to assess prognosis and significant changes in brain activity. Neuroactive medications and hypothermia can influence brain activity and therefore alter EEG interpretation. There are limited studies on the effect of these therapies on neonatal EEG background activity. Medication effects on the EEG or amplitude-integrated electroencephalography include increased interburst interval duration, voltage suppression, and sleep disruption. The effect is transient in term newborns but can be persistent in premature newborns. Although therapeutic hypothermia does not produce significant changes in EEG activity, it does change the time point at which EEG can accurately predict neurodevelopmental outcome. It is important to account for these effects on the EEG to avoid inaccurate interpretation that may affect prognostication.