Epilepsy and weather: A significant correlation between the onset of epileptic seizures and specific atmospherics — a pilot study

Ruhenstroth‐Bauer, G.; Baumer, H.; Kügler, Joachim; Spatz, R; Sönning, Walter; Filipiak, Birgit

doi:10.1007/bf02188563

Cited by 38 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Despite a weather‐dependent seizure risk being physiologically plausible due to the association of increasing neuronal activity with increasing temperature or decreasing atmospheric pressure, the influence of weather on seizure risk has received only limited attention to date. Two smaller studies performed in the early 1980s and 1990s in a cohort of six patients, found no association between meteorological parameters and seizure risk, or determined a seizure risk associated with atmospheric electromagnetic fields and not with classical meteorological factors . However, due to the small size of the study cohort and methodologic issues, the significance of both studies is clearly limited.…”

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confidence: 94%

Weather as a risk factor for epileptic seizures: A case‐crossover study

et al. 2017

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Low atmospheric pressure and high relative air humidity are associated with an increased risk for epileptic seizures, whereas high ambient temperatures seem to decrease seizure risk. Weather-dependent seizure risk may be accentuated in patients with less severe epilepsy. Our results require further replication across different climate regions and cohorts before reliable clinical recommendations can be made.

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confidence: 94%

Weather as a risk factor for epileptic seizures: A case‐crossover study

et al. 2017

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“…The majority of studies applied a correlational approach; thus, the possibility that the observed relationships were mediated by a third variable can not be excluded. Correlations between sferics activity and somatic complaints have been reported for the following disorders (to name only a few): myocardial infarction, [17][18][19] epileptic seizures, 20 sudden deafness, 21 and amputation complaints. 22 Investigations focusing on the relationship between sferics activity and headaches are still rare.…”

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confidence: 99%

Headache and Sferics

Vaitl¹,

Propson²,

Stark³

et al. 2001

Headache

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Many patients with migraine believe weather is a trigger for their headaches. The objective of this study was to determine if very low frequency sferics, pulse-shaped electromagnetic fields originating from atmospheric discharges (lightning), are precipitating factors. The occurrence of sferics impulses is characterized by a daily, as well as an annual, periodicity and is thought to be associated with various pathological processes. The diaries of 37 women suffering from migraine and tension-type headaches were analyzed over a period of 6 months and correlated with daily sferics activity and other weather phenomena in the area of Giessen, Germany. From October through December (autumn), sferics activity was correlated with the occurrence of migraine ( r ϭ 0.33, P Ͻ .01); however, there was no correlation in July and August (summer), when the thunderstorm activity had been very intense. In summer, tension-type headaches were associated with other weather parameters such as temperature ( r ϭ 0.36, P Ͻ .01) and vapor pressure ( r ϭ 0.27, P Ͻ .05). Abbreviations: VLF very low frequency, DMH daily mean of the sferics frequency per hour, DVH daily maxi-mum of the variation in sferics frequency within an hour, CDM change of the daily mean of the sferics frequency per hour in comparison to the day before ( Headache 2001;41:845-853)

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“…The majority of studies applied a correlational approach; thus, the possibility that the observed relationships were mediated by a third variable can not be excluded. Correlations between sferics activity and somatic complaints have been reported for the following disorders (to name only a few): myocardial infarction, 17‐19 epileptic seizures, 20 sudden deafness, 21 and amputation complaints 22…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Headache and Sferics

et al. 2001

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Many patients with migraine believe weather is a trigger for their headaches. The objective of this study was to determine if very low frequency sferics, pulse-shaped electromagnetic fields originating from atmospheric discharges (lightning), are precipitating factors. The occurrence of sferics impulses is characterized by a daily, as well as an annual, periodicity and is thought to be associated with various pathological processes. The diaries of 37 women suffering from migraine and tension-type headaches were analyzed over a period of 6 months and correlated with daily sferics activity and other weather phenomena in the area of Giessen, Germany. From October through December (autumn), sferics activity was correlated with the occurrence of migraine ( r ϭ 0.33, P Ͻ .01); however, there was no correlation in July and August (summer), when the thunderstorm activity had been very intense. In summer, tension-type headaches were associated with other weather parameters such as temperature ( r ϭ 0.36, P Ͻ .01) and vapor pressure ( r ϭ 0.27, P Ͻ .05).Abbreviations: VLF very low frequency, DMH daily mean of the sferics frequency per hour, DVH daily maximum of the variation in sferics frequency within an hour, CDM change of the daily mean of the sferics frequency per hour in comparison to the day before ( Headache 2001;41:845-853)

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Epilepsy and weather: A significant correlation between the onset of epileptic seizures and specific atmospherics — a pilot study

Cited by 38 publications

References 4 publications

Weather as a risk factor for epileptic seizures: A case‐crossover study

Weather as a risk factor for epileptic seizures: A case‐crossover study

Headache and Sferics

Headache and Sferics

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