ABNORMAL THETA-RHYTHM AND ITS RELATION TO FEBRILE CONVULSIONS

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the significance of abnormal theta-rhythm in determining the prognosis of febrile convulsions. 435 EEG's were made in 257 patients; they were compared to the EEG's of a control group of 195 healthy children. Results: 1. In healthy children the theta-rhythm is strictly age-dependend (12 p.c. of all cases), the maximal occurrence being at the age of 2. Amongst the patients, however, the theta-rhythm occured in 32.6% of all cases without showing any marked correlation with age. It seems to be a singular characteristic which is not caused by the convulsions. 2. There is a significant correlation between the occurrence of abnormal theta-rhythm and the later incidence of repeated febrile convulsions. 3. An attempt was made to improve the prognostic use of the rhythm by correlation of this complex with other contributory clinical factors by means of multi-factored probability matrices. 4. The age dependency of the theta-rhythm in healthy children and its independence of age in patients suggests that its occurrence or persistence after the age of 2 or 3 indicates an increased disposition to febrile convulsions and probably other functional cerebral disorders as well. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.