Photoparoxysmal response on eye closure in photosensitive patients

The Authors studied the presence of photoparoxysmal response (PPR) during intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) in 2,888 consecutive EEG recordings. PPR was present in 2.3% of EEGs and 10% of all patients referred to EEG laboratory for epilepsy (45 patients, 18 males, 27 females (M:F ratio 1:1.5), mean age 12 yrs). In 24 (53.3%) of these patients PPR was evident only (24.4%) or strikingly (28.9%) on eye closure during IPS. In 7 patients no other epileptic abnormalities were found on basal EEG and during hyperventilation, nor during IPS with eyes closed and with eyes open. The Authors consider the eye closure during IPS the most useful method to reveal a PPR in photosensitive patients and believe that a good IPS technique must include this procedure in the routine EEG examination.