Heart rate and heart rate variability changes in the intracarotid sodium amobarbital test.

Purpose: Changes in heart rate and heart rate variability have been found in prior studies performed during the intracarotid sodium amobarbital (ISA) test. However, these results are not entirely consistent with current models of differential cerebral involvement in the modulation of the heart. This study was designed to re-investigate this topic with a larger N than has heretofore been used.

Affective self-report during the intracarotid sodium amobarbital test: group differences.

Emotional reactions are sometimes observed during the intracarotid sodium amobarbital test. For instance, euphoric/indifference reactions can be seen during right hemisphere inactivation and catastrophic reactions may accompany left hemisphere inactivation. Less dramatic changes can also be detected in affective self-report during left and right hemisphere amobarbital tests, with more negative affect reported during left hemisphere inactivation and either neutral or mildly positive affective states reported during right hemisphere inactivation.

Response of human epileptic temporal lobe cortical blood flow to hyperventilation.

Bilateral long-term surface cortical cerebral blood flow (CBF) and electrocorticographic (ECoG) monitoring were performed in eight patients with complex partial seizures. In each patient, the epileptic temporal lobe was localized using ictal ECoG. Mean seizure interval (frequency-1) off anticonvulsant medication, a clinical measure of epileptogenicity, was 1.

Epileptic spasms in older children: persistence beyond infancy.

Although infantile spasms (IS) constitute a well-recognized epileptic syndrome, only recently did investigators propose that spasms be classified as a distinct seizure type, characterized by axial flexion/extension jerks in clusters. Five older children (aged 4.5-14.

Nursing implications of the intracarotid amobarbital procedure.

The intracarotid amobarbital procedure, by inactivation of each hemisphere, provides the opportunity to evaluate language and memory function of the individual considering epilepsy surgery. Careful explanation of this procedure, and its importance to the proposed surgery are vital to the patient's cooperation and performance during this examination. The neuroscience nurse has a significant role in the success of this procedure.