Advertisement
Original article| Volume 1, ISSUE 2, P111-116, June 1992

Predictive factors for controlling seizures using a behavioural approach

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/1059-1311(92)90008-O
Predictive factors for controlling seizures using a behavioural approach
Previous ArticleEpilepsy: patient views on their condition and treatment
Next ArticleA review of interictal cerebral blood flow in the evaluation of patients for epilepsy surgery
      This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.

      Abstract

      A behavioural approach using EEG biofeedback for controlling complex-partial seizures has been successful at the Andrews/Reiter Epilepsy Research Program. Records for a random sample of 83 patients with uncontrolled seizures, one third of those receiving care between 1980 and 1985, document that 69 (83%) achieved control by completion of the programme. Additional data about initial age of seizure onset, number of years seizures had been uncontrolled and seizure frequency when treatment started were collected to determine whether these factors predicted seizure control. Only frequency was significantly related to whether seizures were controlled when treatment ended. Further study using discriminant analysis showed that earlier onset age and higher seizure frequency were associated with a significantly greater number of treatment sessions required. Thus, these two factors predicted difficulty in controlling seizures, as measured by number of sessions, although onset age did not predict whether control was eventually achieved.
      Since even the subgroup achieving the lowest rate of control (i.e., patients having daily seizures when treatment started) had 67% success, these results suggest that a behavioural approach can be useful for many people with currently uncontrolled complex-partial seizures regardless of their characteristics on factors examined in this study.

      Keywords

      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to Seizure - European Journal of Epilepsy
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Register: Create an account
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      References

        • Sterman M.B.
        • MacDonald L.R.
        • Stone R.K.
        Biofeedback training of the sensorimotor EEG rhythm in man.
        Epilepsia. 1974; 15: 395-416
        • Baart E.
        Difficult epilepsy cases: a psychodynamic point of view.
        in: Advances in Epileptology: Proceedings of the XIth Epilepsy International Symposium. Raven Press, New York1980
        • Taylor D.C.
        • McKinlay J.
        When not to treat epilepsy with drugs.
        Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 1984; 25: 822-833
        • Dahl J.
        Behavior therapy in the treatment of epilepsy: an application of applied relaxation.
        Scandinavian Journal of Behaviour Therapy. 1988; 17: 139-153
        • Reiter J.M.
        • Andrews D.
        • Janis C.
        Taking Control of Your Epilepsy.
        (Available from) Andrews-Reiter Epilepsy Research Program, Santa Rosa, CA, USA1987
        • Richard A.
        • Reiter J.M.
        Epilepsy A New Approach.
        Prentice Hall, New Jersey1990
        • Finley W.W.
        • Smith H.A.
        • Etherton M.D.
        Reduction of seizures and normalization of the EEG in a severe epileptic following sensorimotor biofeedback training: preliminary study.
        Biological Psychology. 1975; 2: 189-203
        • Lubar J.F.
        • Bahler W.W.
        Behavioral management of epileptic seizures following EEG biofeedback training of the sensorimotor rhythm.
        Biofeedback and Self-Regulation. 1976; 1: 77-104
        • Sterman M.B.
        • McDonald L.N.
        • MacDonald L.R.
        Effects of central cortical EEG biofeedback training on seizure incidence in poorly controlled epileptics.
        Epilepsia. 1978; 19: 207-222
        • Kuhlman W.N.
        EEG feedback training for epileptic patients: Clinical and electroencephalographic analysis.
        Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. 1978; 45: 699-710
        • Kuhlman W.N.
        • Kaplan B.J.
        Clinical applications of EEG training.
        in: Gatchel Price Clinical Applications of Biofeedback: Appraisal and Status. Pergamon, New York1979: 65-93
        • Olton D.S.
        • NoonBerg A.R.
        Epilepsy.
        in: Biofeedback: Clinical Applications in Behavioral Medicine. Prentice Hall, New Jersey1980: 242-283
        • Yates A.J.
        Voluntary control of the electrical activity of the brain.
        in: Biofeedback and the Modification of Behavior. Plenum, New York1980: 268-324
        • Reiter J.M.
        • Lambert R.D.
        • Andrews D.
        • Kastl A.
        • Cobb T.
        Complex-partial epilepsy: A therapeutic model of behavioral management and EEG biofeedback.
        Self-control in Epilepsy. 1990; 1: 27-38
        • Wyler A.R.
        • Robbins C.A.
        • Dodrill C.B.
        EEG operant conditioning for control of epilepsy.
        Epilepsia. 1979; 20: 279-286

      Article info

      Footnotes

      ☆A research project conducted by The Andrews/Reiter Epilepsy Research Program, 550 Doyle Park Dr., Santa Rosa, CA 95405, USA

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/1059-1311(92)90008-O

      Copyright

      © 1992 Published by Elsevier Inc.

      ScienceDirect

      Access this article on ScienceDirect
      We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. To update your cookie settings, please visit the for this site.
      Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. except certain content provided by third parties. The content on this site is intended for healthcare professionals.


      RELX