[Electroencephalographic examinations following strangulation]

An electroencephalogram (E.E.G.) was recorded from 12 patients within 4 hours after strangulation. The tracings were mainly flat and showed severe general alterations. Repeated recordings were performed in 16 patients during the further course at regular intervals until the findings had normalized. Despite the marked initial findings, in 13 patients the basic activity had normalized within 48 hours after strangulation, but often it was asymmetric. Marked asymmetry and focal findings subsided within a year. Only in juvenile patients with initially marked neurological symptoms and subsequent demential course focal findings were found over several years. Contrary to the results of other investigations, spike potentials occurred in 2 patients with tonic-clonic seizures as focal and generalized, resp. steep. waves.