Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Recording Human Electrocorticographic (ECoG) Signals for Neuroscientific Research and Real-time Functional Cortical Mapping
Published on: June 26, 2012
Effects of propofol on electrocorticography in patients with intractable partial epilepsy
Felix Schneider1, Wolfgang Herzer, Henry W S Schroeder
1Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. schneidf@uni-greifswald.de
Background:
Propofol's potential to trigger generalized tonic-clonic seizures and epileptic discharges is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of epileptic discharges and epileptic seizures in epilepsy patients anesthetized with propofol.
Methods:
Thirty three patients with intractable partial epilepsy selected for video electrocorticography-monitoring were studied. Twenty-three of them had epilepsy surgery with at least one year of followup. Subdural electrodes were surgically removed under propofol anesthesia. Video electrocorticography recordings were classified into two phases (Phase-A, ≥2 min without propofol, followed by Phase-P, starting 20 s after propofol injection) and visually analyzed concerning the occurrence of spikes, and spike-burst-suppression-patterns.
Results:
No seizures were detected. Spikes were recorded in Phase-P, but without a significant change in frequency compared to Phase-A. Spike-burst-suppression-patterns occurred in 8 of the 33 patients (24.2%). Five of those patients (62.5%) had epilepsy surgery, 3 (60%) became seizure-free.
Conclusions:
Our results do not contraindicate the use of propofol in patients with partial epilepsy. While spike-burst-suppression-patterns were recorded under propofol, the small number of surgically treated patients limits conclusions concerning their predictive value for improved epilepsy surgery outcome.
More Related Videos
09:00Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Published on: April 15, 2015
09:06Manipulation of Epileptiform Electrocorticograms (ECoGs) and Sleep in Rats and Mice by Acupuncture
Published on: December 22, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...