Pathological Intoxication: Clinical and Electroencephalographic Studies
GEORGE BACH-Y-RITA M.D.1,
JOHN R. LION M.D.2, , and
FRANK R. ERVIN M.D.3
1 Director of inpatient services, Marin Community Mental Health Center, 250 Bon Air Rd., San Rafael, Calif. 94902
2 Staff psychiatrist, department of neuropsychiatry, U.S. Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
3 Associate clinical professor in psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital
Ten patients with a diagnosis of pathological intoxication and two with temporal lobe seizures and implanted depth electrodes were studied. An attempt was made to replicate symptomatic behavior and record the EEGs simultaneously. All patients showed clinical intoxication after intravenous administration of alcohol. No abnormalities were observed in patients with pathological intoxication, while patients with implanted electrodes displayed increased abnormal EEG activity. The authors discuss this discrepancy.
