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Epileptic Disorders

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Epileptic negative drop attacks in atypical benign partial epilepsy: a neurophysiological study Volume 11, issue 1, March 2009

Figure 1 Video recordings of epileptic negative myoclonus (ENM) and drop attacks. The patient was sitting and asked to outstretch both arms in front of herself; sudden dropping of the left arm was frequently observed (ENMlt). Occasionally, both arms were dropped synchronously and symmetrically (ENMbil), sometimes whilst falling backwards, requiring support of the trunk.

Figure 2 Average simultaneous EEG recordings corresponding to Figure 1. Averaged EEGs showed brief interruption of ongoing EMG activity time-locked to focal spike-and-wave complexes (SWC) from both centro-temporo-parietal (CTP) regions. The mean latencies between the onset of SWC at electrode C4 (↑) and that of ENM and drop attacks (▲) reached 68 ms for ENMlt, 42 ms for ENMbil, and 8 ms for drop attacks, respectively. In addition, the height of the spike as well as the slow-wave component of SWC at electrode C4 in drop attacks was significantly higher than that for both ENMlt and ENMbil (p < 0.05). ▲ indicates the trigger point.