The electroencephalogram in hepato-lenticular degeneration (Wilson's disease)

Abstract

The literature on EEG's in hepato-lenticular degeneration has been reviewed; over half of 80 reported patients had abnormal tracings. Eight additional EEG's on seven patients are presented; two definitely abnormal, three borderline and three normal. Trends include continuous slowing of background frequency and sharp diphasic forms bicentrally and elsewhere. There is no specific EEG abnormality in this disease.Although there are many exeptions, in general the degree of EEG abnormality parallels the severity of clinical involvement. No individual clinical finding consistently relates to EEG abnormality, although there is a suggestion both from our cases and those previously reported that tremor and incoordination may show such a relationship.Some patients have EEG improvement during or after treatment; it is uncertain whether this change is cause-and-effect or coincidence. More studies of pre- and post-treatment EEG's would be of interest.