[Convulsions in phenylketonuria and the pattern of the bioelectric activity of the brain]

Serial EEC investigations were carried out in 30 children with phenylketonuria aged 8 months to 4 years at the time of dietary treatment. All children had seizures. The results of EEG investigations in this group of children were compared with a preciously observed analogous of 35 children without convulsions. Comparing the results of EEG investigations in both groups it was observed that in the group of children without convulsions the initial EEG tracings were mostly normal while in both groups the abnormalities were mostly of paroxysmal type. On the ground of an analysis of the EEG results of both groups of children during the whole observation period lasting 2 to 7 years no statistically significant differences were observed in the pattern of bioelectric activity of the brain in both groups. In the light of this material homogenous from the standpoint of aetiology and pathogenesis the asuthors postulated the necessity of verification of the presently accepted principles of diagnosis and classification of infantile convulsions based on diagnostic and prognostic significance of EEG investigations.