Q. I read on the web that EEG’s can show brain abnormalities in people with B.P.D. How does this make sense?
A. It is my strong opinion that the entire BPD is due to epilepsy – brain cells firing inappropriately and out of control. Symptoms of seizures are due to the LOCATION of the seizure, not whether the person shakes or not. Some studies from the 1980’s have shown that 1/3 to 1/2 have abnormal EEG’s regularly, and virtually all when dysphoric. This is likely due to temporal lobe involvement.
The reason many have normal EEG’s, particularly without dysphoria, is that the seizures are deep in the brain – much like a calm ocean can have deep storms or currents. The EEG only measures the surface activity.