Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Question Title: abnormal eeg

Forum: Neurology Forum
Topic: Neurology


I had an EEG done that was "abnormal because of the presence of 4 to 5 hertz rhythmic sharp waves with a positive component at F7-T-3, FP1-F3. These suggest an irritable cortex within the areas mentioned above. There is asymmetry in alpha activity being decreased in voltage and less organized in the left compared to the right. Clinical correlation is recommended". Would you please explain it? What are hertz rythmic sharp waves, and what makes them positive? Where is the F-7 -etc. areas? What is the significance of an irritable cortex and asymmetry due to voltage and organization decreases? I had 5-6 fasiculations in my back while testing. Are these probably the hertz sharp waves? Could an irritable cortex cause sleep walking, or a change in dream perception? I really appreciate you answering my questions. Thank-you.

Rhythmic waves are named according to their frequency, hertz is the term
for frequency , so 4-5 hertz refers to the fact that 4-5 waves occurr every
second, positive refers to the direction of the deflection on the EEG
record, positive waves are downward deflections, negative waves are upward.
The F 7 / F3 / FP1 area is on the left side of the head around the area of
the left temple.
Assymetry of the alpha suggests an abnormality on the left side of the brain,
it is nonspecific and can be caused by any thing from a congenital anomaly to a stroke.
The entire picture is consistent with an abnormal area of brain on the left
side, and could support an epileptic seizure focus arising from that area
on the left temporal region.
Thgere is absolutely no correlation with fasiculations,and there is unlikely
to be any link with sleep walking or change in dream perception.
The most likely clinical link would be with epilepsy, and this could be caused
by subtle abnormalities of the brain development which may have bben present since birth.
The next obvious test would be an MRI of the brain to studty this left temporal area.

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