One year of EEG unit at psychiatric hospital, Yaba, Lagos

To show the continuous investigative value of electroencephalography (EEG) in the management of neuro-pathological disorders such as epilepsy in Nigeria. The limitation against this, especially lack of adequate fund to procure the EEG machine was highlighted. A prospective study over the first twelve months of setting up the EEG unit at the psychiatric hospital, Yaba, Lagos. Subjects included all the patients that had EEG recording in the unit during the study period. Awake EEG was done on each subject using 10-20 system of electrode placement with metal disc electrodes on the 24-channel medelec computerised EEG machine. Majority of the cohort (71.3% ) were aged < 30 years. Seizure disorder constituted the largest clinical reason for EEG request. The EEG findings were normal in close to 44% of the cohort, but abnormal in 56% with 'epileptiform activities' as the most common abnormalities. Despite the notable constraints involved, EEG continues to be of immense value in the management of neuro-pathological disorders in Nigeria.