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Tactile evoked spikes in children
1Child Neurology Unit, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy. pasdemar@tin.it
Insights
Tactile evoked spikes (TES) in children are linked to middle-long latency somatosensory evoked potentials (MLSEP). These EEG spikes are influenced by sleep and stimulation rate, and associated with a benign epilepsy risk.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
Background:
- Tactile evoked spikes (TES) are a recognized EEG characteristic in children.
- Previous research has explored TES in relation to sleep, stimulation rate, and spontaneous spikes.
- The connection between TES and middle-long latency somatosensory evoked potentials (MLSEP) requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize previous findings on TES in children.
- To investigate the relationship between TES and MLSEP across different stimulation sites.
- To analyze the impact of sleep state and stimulation frequency on TES.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing studies on TES in children.
- Re-evaluation of EEG data from 566 children with TES.
- Assessment of MLSEP from individual fingers in 15 subjects.
- Study of MLSEP following posterior tibial nerve stimulation in 12 children.
Main Results:
- TES are enlarged components of MLSEP observed in children aged 4-14 years.
- TES amplitude increases during NREM sleep and decreases during REM sleep.
- TES amplitude diminishes at stimulation rates exceeding 3 Hz.
- TES are associated with an increased risk of generally benign epileptic seizures.
Conclusions:
- TES represent a specific feature within MLSEP in a pediatric population.
- Sleep state and stimulation frequency significantly modulate TES.
- TES may serve as a potential biomarker for an increased risk of epilepsy with a favorable prognosis.
Abstract:
Tactile evoked spikes (TES) are a well known EEG feature in children. We reviewed our previous studies concerning this phenomenon, with special reference to the influence of sleep and stimulation rate, the relation with middle-long latency somatosensory evoked potentials (MLSEP) and the relation between TES and spontaneous spikes in the same individual. New data were obtained by re-evaluating 566 children with TES, by assessing MLSEP from each finger, in 15 subjects with TES, and by studying MLSEP following posterior tibial nerve stimulation in 12 children with TES. TES appear to be enlarged components of MLSEP which are present in some children aged 4 to 14 years; they tend to increase during NREM sleep and to decrease during REM sleep; Their amplitude decreases at stimulation rates above 3 Hz. TES are associated with an increased risk of epileptic seizures, which usually have a benign prognosis. The possible neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are discussed.