What does it mean when brain waves are slow?

Focal slow wave activity on the EEG is indicative of focal cerebral pathology of the underlying brain region. Slowing may be intermittent or persistent, with more persistent or consistently slower activity generally indicating more severe underlying focal cerebral dysfunction.

What does left temporal slowing mean?

Temporal slowing just means that the brain waves in that area are slower frequency than would be expected. Sometimes this can occur from seizure activity arising from deeper areas of the brain but by the time it’s picked up on EEG, it’s just seen as slow waves and not as clear ‘epileptiform’ or seizure activity.

What can cause left temporal lobe slowing?

Traumatic brain injury. Infections, such as encephalitis or meningitis, or a history of such infections. A process that causes scarring (gliosis) in a part of the temporal lobe called the hippocampus. Blood vessel malformations in the brain.

What does diffuse slowing on EEG mean?

Diffuse slowing: Diffuse slowing indicates global cerebral dysfunction. The slowing can be in the theta or delta ranges. The slowing can be high or low amplitude.

Where does the slowing occur in the brain?

This type of slowing is also called as localized slowing or focal slowing because instead of the slowing activity occurring in the whole brain only the frontal and temporal lobe areas of the brain (the front and side areas of the brain) and that too only on one side (left side) of the brain is showing the slowing activity.

Are there temporal slow waves in the brain?

Temporal slow waves on electroencephalogram (EEG) are common findings of the elderly.1-3 Since the incidence of temporal slow waves increases with age, these EEG findings may simply reflect an aging brain. However, several studies have found a correlation between temporal slow waves and cerebrovascular diseases.

What do slow brain waves on EEG look like?

I have temporal lobe epilepsy, and my EEGs show spikes on the left temporal region and also show the “slow” waves there. The slow waves look more like the kind of waves you’d have all over the brain if you were asleep, but since they’re happening in one small area even when you’re awake, that’s what makes them abnormal.

Why are the slow waves on the left side?

Although the reason for temporal slow waves appearing predominantly on the left side remains unclear, one possible explanation is hemispheral dominance. That is, greater stress of the dominant hemisphere could result in more frequent occurrence of vascular pathology.