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.
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
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N
Boutros
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M
Fristad
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A
Abdollohian
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