ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC AND POLYGRAPHIC FEATURES OF 24-HOUR RECORDINGS IN SLEEPING SICKNESS AND HEALTHY AFRICAN SUBJECTS

Electroencephalographic (EEG) and polygraphic features were analysed i n six healthy control subjects and eight patients suffering from sleep ing sickness meningoencephalitis in order to determine possible functi onal relationships. One patient was disqualified because of intermitte nt metabolic disease. Twenty-four h polygraphic recordings-PEG, electr ooculography (EGG), electromyography (EMG), nasal and buccal air flow, chest respiratory movements-were performed continuously both on paper and on cassette tapes. Tapes were played back on paper (paper speed: 15 mm/s). Traces were analyzed for normal and pathologic features, and transient activation phases and paroxysmal hypnopompic hypersynchrony events were counted. During wakefulness, slow theta and delta waves o ccurred in four patients, but alpha reactivity was present. During sle ep, normal features were seen. However, transient activation phases we re decreased in the patients. During slow-wave sleep, four patients pr esented predominantly monophasic frontal delta bursts along with parox ysmal hypnopompic hypersynchrony events. In conclusion, in sleeping si ckness patients, although dampened, the waking process remains respons ive and slows down only during the late stage of meningoencephalitis.