title: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and nocturnal epileptiform activity in children with epilepsy admitted to a national epilepsy center.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine if there exists a relationship between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the quantity of focal nocturnal epileptiform activity on the EEG (FNEA) measured as the percentage of epileptiform activity during non-REM sleep (spike index). This was accomplished with a prospective study of children aged 6-14 years consecutively admitted to our center. Of 362 patients, 44 (12.2%) had previously been diagnosed with ADHD. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory EEG recording and assessment of ADHD according to DSM-IV were performed in 46 children suspected of having ADHD. ADHD was diagnosed in 30. We could not find any correlation between the spike index in 8 children with FNEA and the severity of their ADHD symptoms. This study is underpowered and should be considered a pilot study. There is a need for further investigation of a possible causal effect of FNEA on ADHD symptoms in larger cohorts of patients with FNEA.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Resource Center for AD/HD, Tourette Syndrome and Narcolepsy, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Norway. ebba.wannag@nasjkomp.no
authors.forename: Ebba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wannag
authors.forename: Ann-Sofie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Pål Gunnar
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants