The EEG in hypnosedative drug withdrawal and dependence

Abstract

Compulsive hypnosedative drug use is commonly associated with the development of tolerance and physical dependence. As most data are derived from human or animal experiments, electroclinical correlations in the clinical field are rather scarce. The informative value of the EEG features registered in 22 patients presenting minor and/or major signs of a clinical hypnosedative drug withdrawal syndrome are discussed. The electroclinical correlations are investigated and the physiopathogenesis of both clinical and EEG dysfunction are related to the neurochemical theory of dependence and withdrawal. It is suggested that the drug withdrawal syndrome represents a transient unbalanced metabolic state at the neuronal cellular level, which may be included among the causes of metabolic encephalopathies. The severity of this encephalopathy and the moment at which it occurs depend on both exogenous and personal factors.

Elektroenzephalographische ,,Herdbefunde" ohne strukturdiagnostisches Korrelat

“…Bei allen Kurvenbeispielen handelt es sich um Standardregistrierungen unter Ruhebedingungen mit Sitz der Elektroden nach dem internationalen 10-20-Schema; Zeitkonstante: 0,3 s, Filter: 70 Hz. ski, 1971;Czernik 1978;Ulrich et al, 1983;Ulrich, 1986) sowie im Entzugssyndrom nach Hypno-Sedativa-Abusus (van Sweden, 1984) beschrieben. Kooi et al , (1964) schließlich fanden derartige Muster bei gesunden medikationsfreien Personen, und hier insbesondere im Zustand der Ermüdung.…”

“…Eine Stützung unserer Annahme, daß sich in derartigen unibzw. bilateralen Mustern langsamer Wellen lediglich graduelle Unterschiede der zugrundeliegenden Funktionsstörung widerspiegeln, sehen wir in den Befunden von van Sweden (1984). Bei allen 6 Patienten, die im Entzugssyndrom nach Sedativamißbrauch eine seitengewichtete langsame EEG-Aktivität zeigten (CT o.…”

Are Complex Partial Seizures an Uncommon Withdrawal Sign in the Elderly?

“…Etiologically, neither a focal nor a diffuse cerebral lesion can be demonstrated. The timing and occurrence of the signs, the drug abuse mentioned by the patient's family and some EEG features, such as the repetitive compound discharges prevailing over the central regions, relate the symptoms of this second phase to a drug withdrawal state [ 10,11]. Prolonged confusional states, showing similar electroclinical features [12], or pre ceding generalized withdrawal seizures [ 13, case No.…”