Correlation of electroencephalography and the active and inactive forms of neurocysticercosis

We studied the interictal EEG of 50 epileptic patients (28 males, 22 females) who had parenchymal neurocysticercosis, diagnosed by CAT/MRI of the brain, positive immunological reaction for cysticercosis in cerebral spinal fluid or both. Age ranged from 5 to 61 years old; the mean age of onset was 24.2 +/- 12.2 years. Thirty-six patients had generalized seizures, 13 partial seizures with secondarily generalized seizures, and 1 had complex partial seizures. Twenty-two patients had parenchymal calcifications (inactive form); 21 had parenchymal cysts (active form) and 7 had both. EEG was abnormal in 14 patients (28%): 8 had focal slowing, 3 had focal sharp or spike activity, and 3 had both. The EEG was normal in patients with inactive forms of neurocysticercosis. The EEG was abnormal in 50% of patients with active and mixed forms of neurocystercosis and in 48% of patients with active form only. We conclude that the active forms of neurocysticercosis should be suspected when the EEG is found to be abnormal. In additional, EEG abnormality does not depend on the number of lesions, but rather on location and viability of the cysts, and on host response.