Abstracts

Above the age of 60 years, there is an increase of prevalence and incidence of epileptic seizure disorders. Their EEG findings may be particularly informative with regard to etiology and epileptological analysis. At this age, primary generalized epilepsy with its peak from 8 to 25 years and typical 3/sec spike-wave (absences) or polyspike (myoclonus) patterns is extremely rare. Absence status of [quot]de novo[quot] old age onset may appear to be generalized but the paroxysmal pattern suggests focal onset (frontal-central). In acute and mostly fatal anoxic encephalopathies, the epileptic phenomena are of secondary nature.
Epilepsies arising from the Rolandic area show some increase in old age. This suggests hyperexcitability of this region in elderlies. Most frequently affected by old age is the temporal lobe; due to ischemic pathology and possibly also to pathogenic effects of progenitor cells. From the EEG viewpoint, anterior-midtemporal minor slow and sharp activity (including [quot]wicket spikes[quot]) are a very frequent old age pattern, mostly on the left and usually without seizures. Clinical problems (memory loss, dizziness, etc.), however, may benefit from antiepileptic medication. All of these observations are based on personal data. The [quot]take-home-message[quot]: old age acts differently on the major form of epilepsy.