HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME: Take the course for this article: Volume 57, Number 10, November 27, 2001 A correction has been published Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Takahashi, Y. Articles by Kondo, N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Takahashi, Y. Articles by Kondo, N. Related Collections All Epilepsy/Seizures

Optical filters inhibiting television-induced photosensitive seizures

From the Departments of Pediatrics (Drs. Takahashi and Kondo) and Laboratory Medicine (K. Goto and M. Fujino), Gifu University School of Medicine; Department of Pediatrics (Dr. Takahashi), Gifu Prefectural Gifu Hospital; Faculty of Textile Science (Dr. Sato), Kyoto Institute of Technology; National Epilepsy Center, Shizuoka Higashi Hospital (Dr. Fujiwara); and the Human Science Research Division (Drs. Yamaga, Ito, and Isono), Nihon Housou Kyokai, Japan.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Yukitoshi Takahashi, Department of Pediatrics, Gifu Prefectural Gifu Hospital, 4-6-1 Noishiki Gifu 500-8717, Japan; e-mail: yukito{at}cc.gifu-u.ac.jp

Objective:— Televised images are the most common stimulus for provoking photosensitive seizures in photosensitive persons. To inhibit photosensitive seizures in photosensitive persons who do or do not have epilepsy, the authors sought nonpharmacologic methods for reducing the levels of photic stimulation of televised images.

Background:— The authors found two types of pathophysiologic mechanisms (wavelength-dependent and quantity of light–dependent mechanisms) for photoparoxysmal responses (PPR).

Methods:— The authors tested two different types of optical filters, one reflecting long-wavelength red light selectively, which stimulates a wavelength-dependent mechanism, and the other absorbing light in the visible spectrum evenly (neutral density filters). Inhibiting effects of optical filters were studied by conventional intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) using strobe light and novel photic stimulation using flashing cathode ray tubes (CRT).

Results:— Both filters individually inhibited PPR insufficiently (less than 50%). Compound optical filters, composed of both types of filters, can inhibit the PPR, approximately 90% for IPS and 95% for photic stimulation with CRT. These compound optical filters do not destroy chromaticity of emissions from the television’s CRT.

Conclusions:— These compound filters may be useful to prevent seizures induced by television in photosensitive persons.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Parra, S. N. Kalitzin, H. Stroink, E. Dekker, C. de Wit, and F. H. Lopes da Silva Removal of epileptogenic sequences from video material: The role of color Neurology, March 8, 2005; 64(5): 787 - 791. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Takahashi and T. Fujiwara Effectiveness of broadcasting guidelines for photosensitive seizure prevention Neurology, March 23, 2004; 62(6): 990 - 993. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Erba Preventing seizures from ""Pocket Monsters"": A way to control reflex epilepsy Neurology, November 27, 2001; 57(10): 1747 - 1748. [Full Text] [PDF]