Pathological features of neonatal EEG in preterm babies born before 30 weeks of gestationnal age.

Pathological features on very premature EEG concern background abnormalities and abnormal ictal and nonictal patterns. Positive rolandic sharp waves keep an important place regarding diagnosis and prognosis of white-matter lesions. Background abnormalities, that may be classified as acute-stage or chronic-stage abnormalities, give essential complementary information. These abnormal patterns remain precocious markers of cerebral lesions and are complementary to cerebral imaging. Analysis of these abnormalities has always to take into account medication received by the baby during the recording and that could modify the EEG.