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What Is the Importance of Abnormal “Background” Activity in Seizure Generation?

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Issues in Clinical Epileptology: A View from the Bench

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 813))

Abstract

Investigations of interictal epileptiform spikes and seizures have played a central role in the study of epilepsy. The background EEG activity, however, has received less attention. In this chapter we discuss the characteristic features of the background activity of the brain when individuals are at rest and awake (resting wake) and during sleep. The characteristic rhythms of the background EEG are presented, and the presence of 1/f β behavior of the EEG power spectral density is discussed and its possible origin and functional significance. The interictal EEG findings of focal epilepsy and the impact of interictal epileptiform spikes on cognition are also discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We are honored to have the opportunity to participate in this book celebrating Philip Schwartzkroin’s many contributions to epilepsy research.

Other Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NIH R01-NS071048 (RS) and NIH R01-NS63039 (GW).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Reed Neurological Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 710 Westwood Plaza, RNRC 2-155, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Richard J. Staba Ph.D.

  2. Mayo Systems Electrophysiology Laboratory, Divisions of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Departments of Neurology, Physiology and Bioengineering, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Gregory A. Worrell M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. Richard J. Staba Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Gregory A. Worrell M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Child & Adoles. Psych., Phys. & Neurosc., and Psych., New York Univ. Langone Med. Ctr., Orangeburg, New York, USA

    Helen E. Scharfman

  2. Dept. of Comp. Med. and Neurol. & Neurol. Scs., Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA

    Paul S. Buckmaster

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Staba, R.J., Worrell, G.A. (2014). What Is the Importance of Abnormal “Background” Activity in Seizure Generation?. In: Scharfman, H., Buckmaster, P. (eds) Issues in Clinical Epileptology: A View from the Bench. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 813. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8914-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8914-1_3

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