Pediatric and Neonatal EEG Flashcards

Which EEG pattern in a neonate is characterized by high-amplitude bursts separated by periods of relative quiescence and is considered normal in premature infants?

Answer: Trace alternant

Trace alternant is a normal sleep pattern in term and preterm neonates consisting of high-amplitude bursts alternating with lower-amplitude inter-burst intervals.

What is the most appropriate low-frequency filter setting when recording neonatal EEG to capture slow cerebral activity?

Answer: 1 Hz

A low-frequency filter of 1 Hz (or lower) is used in neonatal EEG to preserve slow background activity that is characteristic of the immature brain.

In a term neonate, which finding on EEG is most consistent with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)?

Answer: Burst suppression with prolonged inter-burst intervals

Burst suppression with prolonged inter-burst intervals (>10 seconds) in a term neonate is a marker of severe cerebral dysfunction associated with HIE.

Positive rolandic sharp waves (PRSW) in neonatal EEG are most strongly associated with which condition?

Answer: Periventricular leukomalacia

Positive rolandic sharp waves are a reliable marker of periventricular white matter injury, particularly periventricular leukomalacia, in preterm neonates.

Which behavioral state in neonates is associated with continuous low-to-moderate amplitude mixed-frequency EEG activity?

Answer: Active sleep (REM)

Active (REM) sleep in neonates is characterized by continuous, relatively low-amplitude mixed-frequency activity similar to wakefulness.

In pediatric EEG, the posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) reaches its adult frequency of approximately 10 Hz by what age?

Answer: 8–10 years

The posterior dominant rhythm gradually increases from about 3.5 Hz at 3 months to the adult alpha frequency of ~10 Hz by 8–10 years of age.

A 6-month-old presents with infantile spasms. Which EEG pattern is the hallmark of West syndrome?

Answer: Hypsarrhythmia

Hypsarrhythmia — a chaotic, high-amplitude, disorganized pattern of multifocal spikes and slow waves — is the classic interictal EEG finding in West syndrome.