EEG in Active and Inactive Neurocysticercosis

The interictal EEG of 50 epileptic patients, aged 5 to 61 years (mean, 24), with parenchymal neurocysticercosis was analyzed at Charles R Drew University, Los Angeles, CA. Neuroysticercosis was diagnosed by CT/MRI of the brain, positive immunological reaction for cysticercosis in cerebrospinal fluid, or both. Generalized seizures occurred in 36 patients, and partial seizures in 14. Inactive disease with parenchymal calcification was present in 22, active disease with cysts in 21, and both forms in 7. The EEG was abnormal in 14 patients (28%) having either active or mixed forms of neurocysticercosis (50%) or only the active form (48%). The EEG was normal in patients with inactive forms with calcification only. The fronto-temporal lobes were mainly involved in active forms with seizures and abnormal EEGs, and temporal locations were infrequent. Generalized seizures were common while complex partial seizures were rare. [1]