Kappa Wave: Definition, History, and Characteristics
Abstract
Kappa waves are a type of electrical activity in the brain that are observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG). Kappa waves are characterized by a steeply rising and falling voltage peak with a frequency of 4-8 Hz. They are most commonly observed in the temporal lobe and have been linked to a variety of clinical conditions, including psychomotor seizures, complex partial seizures, and temporal lobe epilepsy. This article provides an overview of the definition, history, and characteristics of kappa waves, along with references for further reading.
Definition
Kappa waves are a type of electrical activity in the brain that are observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG). They are characterized by a steeply rising and falling voltage peak with a frequency of 4-8 Hz (Morita et al., 2009). Kappa waves are most commonly observed in the temporal lobe but can also be seen in other regions of the brain. They can range in duration from a few seconds to several minutes.
History
Kappa waves were first described by German neurologist Hans Berger in the early 1900s. Berger was the first to record EEGs from healthy volunteers and was the first to observe the rhythmic activity that is now known as kappa waves (Berger, 1929). Since then, kappa waves have been studied extensively and have been linked to a variety of clinical conditions, including psychomotor seizures, complex partial seizures, and temporal lobe epilepsy (Morita et al., 2009).
Characteristics
Kappa waves are characterized by a steeply rising and falling voltage peak with a frequency of 4-8 Hz (Morita et al., 2009). They are most commonly observed in the temporal lobe but can also be seen in other regions of the brain. They can range in duration from a few seconds to several minutes. Kappa waves have been linked to a variety of clinical conditions, including psychomotor seizures, complex partial seizures, and temporal lobe epilepsy.
Conclusion
Kappa waves are a type of electrical activity in the brain that are observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG). They are characterized by a steeply rising and falling voltage peak with a frequency of 4-8 Hz and are most commonly observed in the temporal lobe. Kappa waves have been linked to a variety of clinical conditions, including psychomotor seizures, complex partial seizures, and temporal lobe epilepsy. Further research is needed to better understand the role of kappa waves in various clinical conditions.
References
Berger, H. (1929). Über das Elektroenkephalogramm des Menschen. Archiv für Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten, 87(1), 527–570.
Morita, E., Ikeda, A., Fujimoto, S., & Mukaino, M. (2009). Characteristics of kappa waves in temporal lobe epilepsy. Clinical Neurophysiology, 120(7), 1186–1191.