Abstract
To quantify changes in the pattern of background activity in relation to gestational age, the EEG was recorded continuously for the first five days after birth. Records were made in 25 healthy babies, gestational age 26-42 weeks. All were developmentally normal at 18 months. A continuous 2-channel record of the EEG was made and divided into two main patterns: discontinous, burst-suppression (BS) and continuous activity(CA). Duration of BS decreased progressively with increasing gestational age. Total duration per 24 hour reduced from 6.5 hr at 28 weeks to 1.6 hr at 42 weeks. The mean duration of each epoch of BS decreased from 45 min at 28 weeks to 6 min at 42 weeks. Epochs of CA increased from 14 min at 28 weeks to 52 at 42 weeks. Within epochs of BS the duration of each burst (3 secs) was independent of gestational age while the mean interburst interval decreased from 25 sec at 28 weeks to 4 sec at 42 weeks, and the maximum voltage of slow waves from 440 μV at 28 weeks to 130 μV at 42 weeks. Analysis of variance showed all changes in relation to gestational age to be significant. Continuous EEG recording in normal babies enabled quantification of pattern changes and a definition of the normal range in relation to gestational age.
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Eyre, J., Nanei, S. & Wilkinson, A. 178 CHANGES IN THE EEG PATTERN OF NORMAL BABIES IN RELATION OF GESTATIONAL AGE. Pediatr Res 20, 1063 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198610000-00233
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198610000-00233