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Biomedical subjects

E L Reilly

Publications and source records attributed to E L Reilly.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Accelerated mental aging in alcoholic patients.

Discriminant function and polynomial regression methods were used to define a mental age function from scale score profile patterns found in the WAIS manual. Values on the mental age function then were calculated from WAIS scale score profiles for 164 alcoholics in the age range 35 to 74. Validity of the mental age function was evident in clear discrimination between chronological age groups in the alcoholic sample. As compared with WAIS normative values for the mental age function, the mean mental age for patients in the alcoholic sample was advanced approximately 7 years over age-matched normals. Unweighted means ANOVA revealed the accelerated mental aging of alcoholic patients to be statistically significant. This finding is discussed in the context of other research that supports a premature aging hypothesis.

Adult

Reliability of rapid clinical staging of all night sleep EEG.

The recording of all night sleep EEGs on a portable cassette recorder, and the rapid visual staging of the sleep records at 20 times real time, represent innovations in sleep research methodology. The reliability of sleep stager percentages obtained in this way is examined in this article. In the first of two studies, all night sleep records for six individuals were each staged twice by each of two qualified electroencephalographers. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability assessed by intraclass correlation methods was modest, requiring the averaging of results from two judges to reach acceptable levels. Following consistency training, the two electroencephalographers staged all night sleep records for six additional subjects. Acceptable reliability was achieved in measurement of stages 2, 3, 4 and REM, although difficulty in reliably distinguishing stage 1 from the awake stage persisted. On the basis of these results, rapidly paced visual interpretation of sleep records at 20 times real time is recommended as a feasible way of meeting demands imposed by innovations in the technology of recording sleep EEGs.

Electroencephalography

Failure of Pavulon to consistently provide adequate EMG attenuation for recording electrocerebral inactivity.

It is important for the electroencephalographer to consult regularly and closely with the clinician ordering EEGs. This is particularly true in the relatively specialized area of recording for confirmation or support of the clinical impression of brain death. In the instances when a record is being run primarily to confirm the absence of electrocortical activity, it is clearly possible that artifact may be so high in the recording that such a determination is difficult or impossible. A particular artifact of concern is that of persisting muscle potential. As demonstrated in the cases above, this can be promptly eliminated with the use of the muscle relaxant succinylcholine chloride (Anectine). Often the use of pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) at a level that causes an equal clinical relaxation, leaves residual electrical muscle potentials that continue to make interpretation of the EEG difficult, if not actually impossible with any degree of certainty.

Adult

The relationship between flash evoked potentials and evoked amplitude modulation patterns of an applied UHF electromagnetic field in the rat.

Pilot studies demonstrate evidence that the electrophysiological processes associated with flash stimulation of the central nervous system (CNS) of rats, as seen in the recordings of visual-evoked potentials, may also be detectable using an ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic field (UHFEMF). Patterns of amplitude modulation of an applied UHFEMF, when recorded and averaged, show strong correlations with simultaneously recorded evoked potentials. The data support the hypothesis that the UHFEMF amplitude is altered in a dynamic fashion by the tissue's electrophysiological processes that are involved with the generation of CNS electric fields.

Animals

Effects of age and alcohol abuse on pattern reversal visual evoked potentials.

The Pattern Reversal Visual Evoked Potential (PRVEP) was recorded in normal subjects and alcoholics. The recordings were made from the patients during withdrawal and repeated after three weeks of detoxification. It was found that the N76 latency was longer in the alcoholic patient in the withdrawal phase than in the normal subjects. The latency returned to normal range after detoxification in younger alcoholic patients but did not in the older alcoholics. The age-related increase in the N76 latency in the alcoholic patients was similar to that in normal subjects but more exaggerated. For alcoholics, the age-related change in the N76 latency reached significance, but was only a trend in normal subjects. The P100 latency demonstrated significant age-related change, but far less modification related to the alcoholism than the N76 latency. It is unclear at present whether the failure of the latency to return to normal in older patients after detoxification is related to longer periods of excessive drinking, or to a particular vulnerability of the older patients to continued use of alcohol.

Adolescent

Development of EEG activity after ten days of electrocerebral inactivity: ten days of electrocerebral inactivity: a case report in a premature neonate-hydranencephaly or massive ventricular enlargement.

This premature girl demonstrated electrocerebral inactivity in four records over a ten day period. After another eight days with no records, low voltage activity was present at a time when clinical responsiveness increased although the child never developed a prognostically favorable clinical state. The clinical responses never became well developed and the outlook never appeared favorable. If electrocerebral inactivity can be followed by active cortical function in a child who at best had islands of neurons on a deafferented cortex, then some recovery may potentially be possible in the premature child with post bleeding distress and electrocerebral inactivity with apparently present hemisphere tissue. It must be emphasized that "cerebral death" is a syndrome requiring more than electrocerebral inactivity alone. The presently accepted criteria of a single inactive EEG record is not sufficient evidence in itself to predict lack of potential survival in neonates. On the other hand, the return of EEG activity does not predict potential for recovery but only demonstrates a change in CNS function which has to be considered in conjunction with, but not in isolation of, other clinical data to assist the clinician.

Anencephaly

Computer-aided quantification of EEG spike and sharp wave characteristics.

This work presents data from detailed, computer-aided analysis of pertinent electrographic characteristics of well-defined EEG spikes and sharp waves. The data show morphological differences between spikes obtained from different subjects, spikes from different electrode montages, as well as between monophasic and biphasic spikes, and between spikes and sharp waves.

Computers

Electrocerebral activity only in response to stimulation and only at the vertex electrode.

This patient sustained a severe infarction, and an EEG carried out with accepted criteria by the American EEG Society ws consistent with electrocerebral inactivity. A repeat record demonstrated that activity was apparent mainly in a single electrode after stimulation. In this case, it was the vertex electrode that was active. The rest of the electrodes were inactive with the patient at rest and reflected little or no activity in response to stimulation. In this case at least, the persistence of EEG activity after stimulation had no prognostically favorable value in that the patient died.

Aged

Electrocerebral inactivity as a temperature effect: unlikely as an isolated etiology.

Although hypothermia is a cause of occasional cerebral inactivity, it appears that this change occurs only at temperatures well below those seen in most clinical conditions, even in intensive care units. Loss of EEG activity occurs at temperatures below the room temperature in the typical hospital. With elevated temperature, decline in voltage can occur, but it would appear that total cerebral inactivity does not occur solely from hyperthermia, and that the development of such records should strongly suggest to the clinician that there is some additional problem most likely involving anoxia or inadequate vascular supply, if it is clear that drugs are not the responsible factor. Extreme temperature change is usually medically provoked if well monitored. In the very special circumstances where temperature is deliberately varied, it appears that EEG activity can be expected to persist from 66 degrees to 106 degrees F. "Electrocerebral inactivity" should raise the possibility that etiologies other than temperature effect alone are involved.

Electroencephalography

Persistence of EEG activity with prolonged induced hyperthermic fever.

Ten instances of deliberate systemic temperature elevation in the 41.5 degrees C to 42.2 degrees C range have been evaluated electroencephalographically, demonstrating decrease in predominant frequency and voltage. Persistence of electro-cerebral activity suggests that previous reports of electro-cerebral inactivity with elevated temperatures reflect indirect serious effects due to cardiovascular compromise with cerebral ischemia, rather than to a direct temperature-related loss of CNS electrical activity.

Anesthesia, General

Reversal of electrical sign in the occipital area: physiological or montage artifact.

The cases illustrate situations in which there is a polarity difference between the anterior and posterior regions resulting from the montage rather than actual physiological differences. The major most easily missed problems arise from diffuse slow waves, but a more easily recognized example of reversed or unexpected apparent polarity from a 14 and 6 per second positive spike burst is reviewed. Problems usually occur when waves in question have a wide distribution and provoke larger voltages in input 2 than in input 1 in some channels. The technologist needs to be aware of the potential problems. When they occur, a variety of montages including montages with a reference outside the involved area and possibly a non-cephalic reference can be employed to clarify the situation. A high index of suspicion, astute technologists and suspicious electroencephalographers are necessary to prevent misidentification of these wave forms as physiological in origin.

Electroencephalography

Intraocular pressure during enflurane and neurolept anesthesia in adult patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery.

The effects of neurolept and enflurane anesthesia on intraocular pressure (IOP) were studied in 20 patients undergoing elective ophthalmic surgery. Ten received neurolept and ten enflurane anesthesia. Continuous EEG tracings recorded the level of anesthesia. IOP was measured before and at intervals during anesthesia at varying concentrations of enflurane and incremental doses of fentanyl. During level I neurolept anesthesia IOP increased from control values of 18.10 +/- 0.93 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) to 19.50 +/- 1.65 mm Hg, but decreased to 14.55 +/- 0.84 mm Hg during level II and to 12.29 +/- 1.13 mm Hg during level III anesthesia. During enflurane anesthesia IOP decreased from control values of 19.00 +/- 1.44 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) to 14.50 +/- 1.60 mm Hg during level, I, 14.10 +/- 1.04 mm Hg during level II, and 11.60 +/- 1.46 mm Hg during level III anesthesia. The increase in IOP during neurolept level I anesthesia was not statistically significant but the decreases in IOP from control values during levels II and III anesthesia were statistically significant. Decreases in IOP from control values were statistically significant at all levels of enflurance anesthesia. There was, however, no statistical significance between the differences in IOP values during levels II and III neurolept anesthesia, nor between levels I, II, and III enflurane anesthesia. The differences in the mean IOP values between neurolept and enflurane anesthesia were statistically significant only during EEG level I anesthesia.

Adult

Electroencephalographic analysis of malignant melanoma patients.

EEGs carried out in 202 patients with melanoma were abnormal in 33%. In the absence of systemic or brain metastasis 14% of the patients had abnormal records. If systemic metastases without brain metastasis were present 45% of the patients had abnormal records and with brain metastasis 88% had abnormal EEGs. Only a third of the patients with abnormal records had brain metastasis but metastatic spread to some organ system was present in 76% of those with EEG abnormalities. The diffuse abnormality was less likely to be a "false positive." Ninety-seven percent of the patients with diffuse EEG abnormality had systemic metastasis but 43% of the patients with focal EEG changes had no detected metastasis.

Adolescent

EEG's in an alcohol detoxification and treatment center.

EEG's were carried out on two hundred and one (201) alcoholics admitted to a four week treatment program. The majority were grossly intoxicated on admission and presented the usual differential problems during the first few days of hospitalization. In spite of therapeutic doses of medication before testing, 85% had totally normal EEG's and only 5.5% revealed clearly abnormal tracings. Of those for whom repeat records were later obtained, four of six with an abnormality showed a persistance of abnormality suggesting underlying organic dysfunction and not just "intoxication". EEG has a place in identification of the alcoholic patient at greater risk for neurological complications and may be useful in alerting the psychiatrist to obtain additional personal and family history, neurological examination, and when appropriate, further tests for potential structural abnormality. Routine use of structural tests such as computerized scan will aid in the identification of serious structural abnormalities but will not identify equally serious disorganizing functional abnormalities.

Alcoholism