Influence of Wrist Tapping on Alpha Rhythm Synchronization in Patients with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of wrist tapping (WT), according to the author's method, on the synchronization of alpha activity in healthy adults and patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Methods and Results: The study included 71 people of working age, including 51 clinically healthy volunteers (median age - 39[21;56] years) and 20 patients with JME (median age 27[23;35] years). Under the influence of WT in a state of sensory deprivation, statistically significant changes in the alpha peak frequency (APF) (P<0.001) and alpha power (AP) (P<0.05) were found in healthy adults. In JME patients, there were statistically significant changes in the APF (P<0.05) and AP (P<0.05), as well as a statistically significant increase in the ARW (P<0.05) after WT. WT, according to the author's technique, allows reducing the severity of alpha rhythm synchronization and leads to a shift in the peak frequency of the alpha rhythm in the occipital leads towards the alpha-2 sub-frequency range and a decrease in AP in both healthy volunteers and JME patients. At the same time, the alpha range width in the occipital leads is statistically significantly increased in JME patients. Conclusion: The nature of the change in the alpha rhythm, in comparison with the control, indicates the phenomenon of resonance with the frequency of the WT rhythm. The WT effect testifies to the prospects of the clinical application of WT in JME, since it was previously shown that if the selected external frequencies enter into resonance with the neurons of the antiepileptic system, then an antiepileptic effect could be obtained.