R. M. Colognola

Fragile‐X Syndrome: A Particular Epileptogenic EEG Pattern

Summary: A clinical and EEG study of 12 fragile‐X syndrome subjects (six with epilepsy) is presented. All subjects had clinical‐family history examinations. EEG evaluations, and karyotyping. Spikes were present in the sleep EEG of one nonepileptic and four epileptic subjects; these spikes were similar in location, occurrence. voltage, frequency, and morphology (and similar to those of the Rolandic spikes). These data, together with the clinical similarities (type of epilepsy, responses to drugs. ages of seizure onset, etc.). have resulted in the postulation of EEG characteristics of epileptic and nonepileptic fragile‐X patients. However, further studies with fragile‐X patients are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Sleep patterns of down's syndrome children: effects of butoctamide hydrogen succinate (BAHS) administration

Several investigators have described the altered sleep patterns in Downs syndrome subjects. The most relevant findings have been a reduction in percentage of REM sleep, a prolonged latency to the first REM episode, an increase in undifferentiated sleep, and a reduced ratio of the oculomotor frequencies. Because it is of interest to identify new drugs able to increase the percentage of REM sleep in mentally retarded subjects, we studied the effects of butoctamide hydrogen succinate (BAHS) on nocturnal sleep in eight young institutionalized Downs syndrome subjects.BAHS produced a significant increase in the percentage of REM sleep as well as a decrease in undifferentiated sleep and latency to the first REM.

A simple electronic and computer system for automatic spindle detection.

The authors present a new system for the automatic detection of sleep spindles. The electronic and computer analysis are described and a comparison between automatic and visual analysis, performed by two independent readers, was carried out with the aim of evaluating the reliability of the system. Results are discussed and compared with those of different systems already described.