BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The hypothesis that brain is a nonlinear dynamic system exhibiting deterministic chaos has offered new methods to the investigation of information processing in the brain by analysis and classification of EEG signals. We used the first positiveLyapunov exponent (L1) which is one of indicator of nonlinear dynamic to evaluate the brain function in chemical seizure models METHODS: Lithium-Pilocarpine induced seizure model and kainic acid induced seizure model are used. From serial EEG according to seizure stages. 32.768 sec of data (16.384 data point) were recorded and digirized by a 12-bit analog-digital converter in an IBM PC. The data from serial EEG according to seizure stageswere analyzed for determining the L1. We used the time delays calculated by the method of mutual information to reconstruct the attactor. Time delays of 46-58 msec and enbedding dimensions of 13-19 were used for chemical seizure model. The L1 were calculated for 4 channels. RESULTS: The averaged valued of L1 were serially decreased in both lithium-pilocarpin model and kainic acid model according to increasing seizure stages. CONCLUSION: Our results reveal the decrease of the chaotic activity according to increasing seizure stage. It is suggested that the brain has decreased information procedding and a less flexible neural network during seizure. However further evaluation is required because the significance of these changes are not confirmed.
Animals ; Automatic Data Processing ; Brain ; Classification ; Electroencephalography* ; Kainic Acid ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Rats* ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder that is difficult to diagnose because of its rarity and variable clinical features. The magnitude of RTH is caused by mutations in the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRbeta) gene. We recently treated a 38-yr-old woman with RTH who had incidental papillary thyroid carcinoma. She presented with goiter and displayed elevated thyroid hormone levels with an unsuppressed TSH. She was determined to harbor a missense mutation of M310T in exon 9 of the TRbeta gene, and diagnosed with generalized RTH. This mutation has not yet been reported in Korea. RTH is very rare and easily overlooked, but should be considered in patients who present with goiter and elevated thyroid hormone levels with an unsuppressed TSH. The association between thyroid cancer and RTH needs further study.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Mutation, Missense ; Thyroid Gland/radionuclide imaging ; Thyroid Hormone Receptors beta/genetics ; Thyroid Hormone Resistance Syndrome/complications/*diagnosis ; Thyroid Hormones/blood ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*complications/genetics/ultrasonography