- What is the EEG after sleep deprivation?
- Why might the patient be asked to avoid sleep before the EEG?
- Preparation for EEG after sleep deprivation
- EEG waveform after sleep deprivation
- Is EEG after deprivation safe?
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VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Tomasz NęckiEEG is a study assessing the bioelectric activity of the brain, used, among others, in the diagnosis of epilepsy. EEG is most commonly performed at rest, but there is also another test, which is the EEG after sleep deprivation. What is it, when might it be advisable to do it, and why abstaining from sleeping can make it possible to diagnose certain conditions?
EEG (electroencephalography)is a non-invasive test that aims to record the bioelectrical activity of the brain. This is used to diagnose various he alth problems - EEG is used primarily in the diagnosis of epilepsy, in addition, the test is also sometimes recommended in patients with sleep disorders, people who are poisoned with some neurotoxic compounds or if there is a suspicion of organic diseases of the nervous system.
The basic examination performed in patients is EEG at rest, which does not require any special preparation from the subjects. The situation is different, however, in the case of a less frequently performed, but very valuable, another test, which is the EEG after sleep deprivation.
What is the EEG after sleep deprivation?
Deprivation is defined as depriving a person of the ability to meet some psychological or biological need - sleep is, in turn, one of the basic biological human needs.
EEG after sleep deprivation means that the patient is asked to come to the test after a sleepless night or only a short night's rest.
For many people it may seem strange or even absurd, but in practice, testing after a sleepless night may allow the detection of certain pathologies that, thanks to the EEG examination at rest, would not be possible to determine.
Why might the patient be asked to avoid sleep before the EEG?
Various phenomena are sometimes considered as factors that may lead to disturbances in the bioelectrical activity of the brain and ultimately favor the occurrence of, inter alia, seizures. The relationship between sleep and epilepsy has been studied for many years and it is generally recognized that sleep deprivation may promote seizures.
EEG after sleep deprivation is useful primarily when the patient is well-foundedepilepsy, and at the same time the results of the resting EEG do not differ from the norm in any way.
If the patient fails to sleep through the night, certain pathologies become much more visible than in other conditions. It is generally mentioned that EEG after sleep deprivation is particularly useful in the diagnosis of focal epilepsy and epilepsy with absenteeism.
Preparation for EEG after sleep deprivation
In general, the EEG after sleep deprivation, just like the test performed at rest, does not require special preparation from the patient - the most important thing is that before the test, before the test, you should not sleep at all or sleep only for the time recommended by the doctor beforehand.
The patient should report the EEG after a meal, at the same time it is worth emphasizing here that you should definitely avoid drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks that could disturb the reading.
In addition, the subject should come for the test with clean hair, on which he should not have any hair styling cosmetics (gels, varnishes) applied. It is advisable to wear comfortable, airy clothes.
It is also worth emphasizing here that if the patient is taking any medications, then - without the doctor's explicit suggestion - he should not stop taking them.
EEG waveform after sleep deprivation
After reporting for an EEG after sleep deprivation, the patient is put on appropriate electrodes to record the bioelectrical activity of the brain. Usually, the test is carried out in a calm, quiet room, often without sources of intense light.
Such conditions may be conducive to falling asleep, which the respondents should definitely not be afraid of - recording the electrical activity of the brain during sleep is also very important in diagnostics.
During the examination, patients may undergo photo-stimulation and hyperventilation. During the former, subjects may be asked to watch different flashes of light, while the latter process involves breathing slowly, deeply for a few minutes.
EEG after sleep deprivation can take a different length of time, typically the entire test - including preparation and conduct - takes about 60 to 90 minutes. The test can be carried out during hospitalization as well as on an outpatient basis - most often it is possible to return home immediately after the test.
Is EEG after deprivation safe?
EEG after sleep deprivation is a non-invasive test - it is unnecessary to break the skin or use any needles to carry it out. EEGit does not hurt, for some patients the only pressure on the head used during the examination of the electrodes may be burdensome for some patients.
As mentioned earlier, sleep deprivation can contribute to disturbances in the bioelectrical activity of the brain - for this reason, it is possible that the patient will experience an epileptic seizure during the examination.
Due to this risk, patients are vigilantly monitored during the examination by people performing them, and the EEG laboratories are properly equipped - when necessary, the subjects are given appropriate, fast-acting anticonvulsants.