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Hypsarrhythmia

 
Medical Dictionary: hyp·sar·rhyth·mi·a
or hyp·sa·rhyth·mi·a (hĭp'sə-rĭTH'mē-ə)
n.

The abnormal and characteristically random electroencephalogram often found in babies with infantile spasms, associated with mental retardation.

hyp'sar·rhyth'moid' (-moid') adj.
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Wikipedia: Hypsarrhythmia
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Hypsarrhythmia is abnormal interictal high amplitude waves and a background of irregular spikes seen in electroencephalogram, mostly in infant diagnosed with infantile spasms. They both vary in duration and size, have no rhythm or pattern and can alternate between focal or multifocal. In most cases of infantile spasms hypsarrhythmia disappear during a cluster of spasms and/or REM sleep.

In simple terms, it is a very chaotic and disorganized brain wave behavior with no recognisable pattern, where a normal EEG shows clear separation between each signals and visible pattern.

Hypsarrhythmia rarely persists beyond the age of 24 months.


 
 
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Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hypsarrhythmia" Read more