[EEG studies of spinocerebellar ataxia]

Electroencephalographic examinations of eighteen patients with spinocerebellar ataxias and of thirteen normal sibs of four of the subjects are reported. The authors frequently observed low levels of potential and a tendency toward slackening in basic activity, which is in agreement with data presented in the literature; theta-delta inclusions in the temporal regions were found especially in cases of cerebellar ataxia. Examinations of the sib frequently showed low-potential curves. However, the use of electroencephalography for the purpose of identifying, in the case of hereditary ataxia, latently diseased sibs for heterozygous individuals does not seem possible.