ORIGIN OF THE SPIKE AND WAVE PATTERN OF PETIT MAL EPILEPSY

Abstract

It is interesting that despite the current emphasis which has been placed on the electroencephalographic detection of cortical lesions and the successful identification of the epileptogenic focus for a certain group of patients displaying generalized convulsions, no such demonstrable cortical lesions have been shown to constitute the focus for attacks of petit mal epilepsy. The hypothesis that the focus for petit mal epilepsy may be subcortical, and therefore not capable of being identified by the usual electroencephalographic technics, receives support from evidence cited by Penfield and Erickson¹ (page 138). These authors reported a case of petit mal epilepsy for which the focus was identified by implanting electrodes in the region of the interpeduncular space. Records from the electrodes were obtained which demonstrated a local discharge at this point, and certain characteristics of the seizure were reproduced by stimulating this area. The data to be presented in this paper constitute further