Biomaterial Database

Metabolic and inflammatory cerebral diseases: electrophysiological aspects. 1998

G B Young

Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is an important diagnostic tool in coma. Although comatose patients may be similar on neurological examination, the EEG reveals a wide range of abnormalities. For metabolic and septic encephalopathies, the "anesthesia model" is a useful analogy. The EEG is very sensitive to the depth or severity of brain dysfunction in coma as well as the direction of the process if serial tracings or continuous recordings are used. While the EEG is rarely specific for the etiology of coma, it may help determine the class or general category of disease process. In conditions capable of causing neuronal death, e.g., anoxia-ischemia, the EEG can be of prognostic value.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008659	Metabolic Diseases	Generic term for diseases caused by an abnormal metabolic process. It can be congenital due to inherited enzyme abnormality (METABOLISM, INBORN ERRORS) or acquired due to disease of an endocrine organ or failure of a metabolically important organ such as the liver. (Stedman, 26th ed)	Thesaurismosis,Diseases, Metabolic,Disease, Metabolic,Metabolic Disease,Thesaurismoses
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D001927	Brain Diseases	Pathologic conditions affecting the BRAIN, which is composed of the intracranial components of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. This includes (but is not limited to) the CEREBRAL CORTEX; intracranial white matter; BASAL GANGLIA; THALAMUS; HYPOTHALAMUS; BRAIN STEM; and CEREBELLUM.	Intracranial Central Nervous System Disorders,Brain Disorders,CNS Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Intracranial Disorders,Encephalon Diseases,Encephalopathy,Intracranial CNS Disorders,Brain Disease,Brain Disorder,CNS Disorder, Intracranial,Encephalon Disease,Encephalopathies,Intracranial CNS Disorder
D003128	Coma	A profound state of unconsciousness associated with depressed cerebral activity from which the individual cannot be aroused. Coma generally occurs when there is dysfunction or injury involving both cerebral hemispheres or the brain stem RETICULAR FORMATION.	Comatose,Pseudocoma,Comas,Pseudocomas
D004569	Electroencephalography	Recording of electric currents developed in the brain by means of electrodes applied to the scalp, to the surface of the brain, or placed within the substance of the brain.	EEG,Electroencephalogram,Electroencephalograms
D004660	Encephalitis	Inflammation of the BRAIN due to infection, autoimmune processes, toxins, and other conditions. Viral infections (see ENCEPHALITIS, VIRAL) are a relatively frequent cause of this condition.	Inflammation, Brain,Rasmussen Syndrome,Brain Inflammation,Encephalitis, Rasmussen,Rasmussen Encephalitis,Rasmussen's Syndrome,Brain Inflammations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000758	Anesthesia	A state characterized by loss of feeling or sensation. This depression of nerve function is usually the result of pharmacologic action and is induced to allow performance of surgery or other painful procedures.