[Possible activating effect of subnarcotic doses of some anaesthetic drugs in clinical electroencephalography (author's transl)].

The use of subnarcotic doses of anaesthetic agents has been proposed, in the last few years, as a practical method for enhancing EEG activities in epileptic patients. Barbiturates such as Evipan or Brietal were used in the present study. Both electrographic and clinical effects occurred not only with the intravenous administration fo Brietal and Evipan but also with Althesin (a new non-barbiturate drug), in two groups of suspected and confirmed epileptics having either a normal or specific EEG pattern. These results were then compared with a normal control group. In a high percentage of instances all these drugs were found to induce either focal or generalized increase of epileptiform activities, as well as the appearance of latent epileptic abnormalities. The AA. stress the advantages these new techniques as ascreening method in suspected epilepsy.