ABSTRACT
The pattern of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity changes most dramatically in the neonatal period and first year of life, a period of development characterized by multiple maturational events in the brain. The postoperative EEG may be an important tool in assessing neurologic outcome. The prolonged development of myelinated fibers is likely to affect EEG activity. There appears to be a window of vulnerability to the epileptogenic effects of hypoxia. In both animals and humans, stages of EEG development can be approximately related to brain maturation. Clinical observations indicate that the perinatal period represents a window of development in which there is heightened seizure susceptibility. The predominant excitatory amino acid in the brain is glutamate, and certain glutamate antagonists prevent glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. The cumulative effect of the maturational changes in receptor densities and subunit composition, as well as ion metabolism, may increase intracellular calcium concentration.
