<p>According to this article, the localized increase in delta and theta waves is a known anomaly in EEG, is referred to as "focal slow activity" and it the case of a wakeful EEG of an adult it usually suggests an organic damage or disfunction of the affected area, but extra tests are required to narrow down the list of possibilities.  </p>

<p><a href="http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&amp;pid=S0004-282X2011000600020" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&amp;pid=S0004-282X2011000600020</a> </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-11T14:19:18.120Z
2019-06-11T14:30:40.107Z
2019-06-11T14:30:40.107Z
Entiro
<p>The result of wakeful EEG shows persistent activation of temporal lobes - high level of delta and theta waves in the left temporal lobe (3 on the scale from -3 to 3) and slightly lower in the right temporal lobe.<br>
The sources that I found state that delta and theta waves are typically associated with the state of sleeping, though.  </p>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_wave" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_wave</a><br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theta_wave" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theta_wave</a>  </p>

<p>What are possible explanations of such activity when the subject is awake?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T10:10:04.153Z
Welcome to Psychology.SE. We work differently to most SE sites, where we have a strict policy that all questions should [show evidence of prior research](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/993). Please help us to help you and [edit] your question to provide more information on what you have read on this subject, what made you ask this question, and any problems you are having understanding your research. If you found nothing, what did you Google? This helps to provide an answer which will be more helpful.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T18:08:27.040Z
@Chris Rogers does it look better now?
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T19:25:54.237Z
@user855286 I think there needs to be more context before this can be attempted to be answered. What is the recording condition? Why are you asking this question? Why is the scale "-3 to 3"? What does the rest of the spectrum look like?
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T19:38:16.017Z
@Bryan Krause normal wakeful EEG. (are you asking for something different?) I'm asking this question, because the EEG specialist made a notice that this anomaly suggests a brain disfunction of unknown reason. Wrt the scale - I don't know, that's how the makers of the software made it. Possibly, negative values are only used to map the differences in the relative power charts. The rest of the spectrum is at low levels, 0.5-1 in the left hemisphere and 0-0.5 in the right. Would you like a picture?
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T19:41:44.980Z
@user855286 You need to ask the EEG specialist or ordering physician. They made this note because there is not enough information to make a diagnosis or to determine no diagnosis is necessary based on this limited information. Medical advice/questions about certain individuals are not on-topic here.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T19:42:30.017Z
@Bryan Krause I'll ask the doctor when we meet, but currently I'd like to learn more about this particular type of anomaly - i.e. what are the possible reasons? Just out of curiosity.
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T19:54:21.890Z
@user855286 It ranges from nothing to anything, so speculating isn't going to be very useful and just lead to "WebMD syndrome"
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T19:56:43.313Z
@Bryan Krause it doesn't mean nothing. Actually, I've already found some very specific explanations. Pity that this website was of no help so far.
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T20:09:29.273Z
@user855286 Yes, because this site does not provide personal medical advice.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T20:11:29.953Z
@Bryan Krause the localized increase of delta and theta waves is a well known anomaly in EEG.
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T20:15:02.013Z
@user855286 That doesn't make medical advice on-topic.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T20:16:48.273Z
@Bryan Krause it's not about medical advice. I didn't ask for diagnosis or any treatment.
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T20:32:30.037Z
@user855286 The two answers at https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/20075/why-do-brains-oscillate-within-specific-frequency-ranges might be of interest to you if you are wondering about where different frequency "waves" come from rather than plausible diagnoses.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-16T21:00:05.600Z
Typically, anomalous EEG with relevance for clinical diagnoses is hemispherically asymmetric in character. Bilateral presentations are generally not peculiar for epileptic foci, but may be relevant in other conditions. (I am not a doctor.)
noumenal
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-22T19:36:46.970Z
@noumenal thanks, got any sources?
Entiro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-23T20:34:24.197Z
I would recommend asking at a university library. The librarians could help you find what you are looking for.
noumenal
<neuroscience><abnormal-psychology><eeg>
Anomalous activation of temporal lobes
Entiro
# Anomalous activation of temporal lobes

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-09)

The result of wakeful EEG shows persistent activation of temporal lobes - high level of delta and theta waves in the left temporal lobe (3 on the scale from -3 to 3) and slightly lower in the right temporal lobe.  
The sources that I found state that delta and theta waves are typically associated with the state of sleeping, though.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_wave>  
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theta_wave>

What are possible explanations of such activity when the subject is awake?

**Tags:** neuroscience, abnormal-psychology, eeg

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Psychology.SE. We work differently to most SE sites, where we have a strict policy that all questions should [show evidence of prior research](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/993). Please help us to help you and [edit] your question to provide more information on what you have read on this subject, what made you ask this question, and any problems you are having understanding your research. If you found nothing, what did you Google? This helps to provide an answer which will be more helpful.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 does it look better now?  
> **username_2**: @user855286 I think there needs to be more context before this can be attempted to be answered. What is the recording condition? Why are you asking this question? Why is the scale "-3 to 3"? What does the rest of the spectrum look like?  
> **username_0**: @username_2 normal wakeful EEG. (are you asking for something different?) I'm asking this question, because the EEG specialist made a notice that this anomaly suggests a brain disfunction of unknown reason. Wrt the scale - I don't know, that's how the makers of the software made it. Possibly, negative values are only used to map the differences in the relative power charts. The rest of the spectrum is at low levels, 0.5-1 in the left hemisphere and 0-0.5 in the right. Would you like a picture?  
> **username_2**: @user855286 You need to ask the EEG specialist or ordering physician. They made this note because there is not enough information to make a diagnosis or to determine no diagnosis is necessary based on this limited information. Medical advice/questions about certain individuals are not on-topic here.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 I'll ask the doctor when we meet, but currently I'd like to learn more about this particular type of anomaly - i.e. what are the possible reasons? Just out of curiosity.  
> **username_2**: @user855286 It ranges from nothing to anything, so speculating isn't going to be very useful and just lead to "WebMD syndrome"  
> **username_0**: @username_2 it doesn't mean nothing. Actually, I've already found some very specific explanations. Pity that this website was of no help so far.  
> **username_2**: @user855286 Yes, because this site does not provide personal medical advice.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 the localized increase of delta and theta waves is a well known anomaly in EEG.  
> **username_2**: @user855286 That doesn't make medical advice on-topic.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 it's not about medical advice. I didn't ask for diagnosis or any treatment.  
> **username_2**: @user855286 The two answers at https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/20075/why-do-brains-oscillate-within-specific-frequency-ranges might be of interest to you if you are wondering about where different frequency "waves" come from rather than plausible diagnoses.  
> **username_3**: Typically, anomalous EEG with relevance for clinical diagnoses is hemispherically asymmetric in character. Bilateral presentations are generally not peculiar for epileptic foci, but may be relevant in other conditions. (I am not a doctor.)  
> **username_0**: @username_3 thanks, got any sources?  
> **username_3**: I would recommend asking at a university library. The librarians could help you find what you are looking for.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2019-06-11. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

According to this article, the localized increase in delta and theta waves is a known anomaly in EEG, is referred to as "focal slow activity" and it the case of a wakeful EEG of an adult it usually suggests an organic damage or disfunction of the affected area, but extra tests are required to narrow down the list of possibilities.

<http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2011000600020>


---

