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NEUROLOGY 1977;27:252
© 1977 American Academy of Neurology

Electrographic and clinical effects of intracarotid sodium amobarbital on bilateral myoclonic status epilepticus

CHARLOTTE B. McCUTCHEN, M.D., VELUPILLAY VIGNAENDRA, M.D. and GlAN EMlLlO CHATRIAN, M.D.

From the Division of Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, Departments of Laboratory Medicine, Medicine and Neurological Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.

The effects of rapid intracarotid injection of 20 to 100 mg of sodium amobarbital were studied in three patients with bilateral myoclonic status epilepticus due to Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, sequelae of anoxic encephalopathy, and hepatic coma, respectively. In each instance, the drug produced prompt abatement of clonic jerks contralaterally and attenuation of electroencephalographic epileptiform discharges ipsilaterally. These results suggest that the cerebral cortex actively participates in the elaboration of certain types of bilateral myoclonus in human beings.

Dr. McCutchen and Dr. Chatrian's address is Division of Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, "283 University Hospital, SB-10, Seattle, WA 98195. Dr. Vignaendra's address is Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Received for publication April 12, 1976.

This work was supported in part by grants NS 04053 from the NINCDS and DE02385 from the NIDR, and a fellowship from the China Medical Board of New York (to Dr. Vignaendra).