Aims: To investigate eclampsia and pre-eclampsia electroencephalograms (EEGs) and related animal experiments, and to publish a Japanese article in English.
Materials and methods: A two channel EEG system constructed with a self-made vacuum tube amplifier, optical recorder, signal generator, a magic-eye signal monitor and a shield room were prepared by the author. EEGs were recorded in five admitted eclamptic and 35 pre-eclamptic cases before, during and after convulsion until clinical recovery. The hypothalami of female rabbits were stimulated with Kurotsu's electrode, and blood pressure and urinary proteins were studied before and after stimulation. The rabbits cortical and hypothalamic EEGs were studied.
Results: Frontal and occipital EEG waves synchronized immediately before and during eclamptic convulsions and during coma. Large δ waves were characteristic during the coma after convulsions. Moderately slow waves were recorded in cases of pre-eclampsia. In animal experiments, hypertension and proteinuria appeared in cases of hypothalamic sympathetic zone stimulation, while there was no change in parasympathetic stimulation.
Conclusion: Eclamptic convulsion is evoked by synchronization of the whole cortex controlled by a heavily excited hypothalamus. Pregnancy hypertension and proteinuria is caused by the excited sympathetic center of the hypothalamus.
Keywords: Kurotsu electrode; eclampsia; electroencephalogram; hypothalamus; pre-eclampsia; sympathetic center.
© 2015 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.