RESUMO
An infant with benign familial neonatal convulsions fortuitously had a clinical seizure during a routine EEG. The seizures had started on day 2 of life, and the EEG recording was performed on day 6. The EEG, although not complete, did show a simultaneous electrographic seizure. Our finding establishes that benign familial neonatal convulsions are indeed epileptic.
Assuntos
Epilepsias Mioclônicas/genética , Epilepsia Generalizada/genética , Espasmos Infantis/genética , Córtex Cerebral/fisiopatologia , Eletroencefalografia , Epilepsias Mioclônicas/fisiopatologia , Epilepsia Generalizada/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Linhagem , Espasmos Infantis/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
Using a single-patient (n = 1) clinical trial, we studied a 7-year-old boy who presented with unsatisfactory progress in school and whose electroencephalogram had very active independent frontal spike discharges. He had not had clinical seizures. The patient was randomized to receive valproic acid, 125 mg twice daily, (four periods) or matching placebo (four periods) over 8 weeks. Primary endpoints were the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Coding sub-test and a handwriting sample. Behavior was monitored using teacher's and parent's Conners questionnaires. His score on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Coding subtest was significantly improved while he was taking valproic acid (P = .03). His electroencephalogram improved from a pretreatment recording of 28 spike discharges per minute to a normal recording while on valproic acid. We conclude that in this patient, valproic acid had a cognitive enhancing effect, probably by reducing epileptiform discharges.
Assuntos
Anticonvulsivantes/uso terapêutico , Eletroencefalografia , Epilepsia/tratamento farmacológico , Deficiências da Aprendizagem/tratamento farmacológico , Ácido Valproico/uso terapêutico , Anticonvulsivantes/administração & dosagem , Criança , Epilepsia/diagnóstico , Epilepsia/fisiopatologia , Lobo Frontal/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Masculino , Escalas de WechslerRESUMO
Taste assessment was tested in 20 obese and 20 normal-weight in-patients using watery solutions of saccharose and three synthetic sweeteners. Each patient was asked to assess ten different taste qualities of each solution on a point scale. There were highly significant differences between the two groups of subjects. The difference was especially marked for the categories "synthetic - natural", "unpleasant - very tasty", and "changeable - stable in times". These findings suggest changes in physical or central taste sensation in obese persons. This view is supported by their decreased ability to differentiate between saccharose and any sweetener. The results further support substituting sweetening agents for sugar in reducing diets.