The fourteen and six positive spikes and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
BACKGROUND
The clinical significance of the 14 and 6 positive spikes (PS) electroencephalographic (EEG) phenomenon is not well established. This study was performed to provide further data regarding the clinical correlates of the PS, particularly attention-deficit/hyperactivity and somatic symptoms.


METHODS
Diagnostic information gathered through structured interviews was compared among four groups of psychiatric inpatients aged 4-17 years who underwent an EEG examination over a 2-year period. Groups consisted of patients with: 1) 14 and 6 PS (n = 25); 2) epileptic discharges (n = 29); 3) slow-wave abnormalities (n = 23); and 4) a normal EEG group age and sex matched to the 14 and 6 PS group (n = 25).


RESULTS
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms were significantly more frequent in the PS group (chi 2 = 2.96, p < .05) compared to the other three groups combined. Although somatic symptoms were not increased in the 14 and 6 PS group, anxiety symptoms tended to occur more in this group (chi 2 = 3.50, p < .06).


CONCLUSIONS
The PS profile appears associated with ADHD symptoms. Possible treatment implications of this finding (e.g., use of anticonvulsants in ADHD patients with PS) need to be explored.
Boutros
N
N
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Fristad
M
M
Abdollohian
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies