Focal EEG abnormalities might reflect neuropathological characteristics of pervasive developmental disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Neurophysiological characteristics in electroencephalograms (EEG) were investigated for patients with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). This study examined 64 PDD children and 22 AD/HD children with no history of epilepsy or progressive neurological or psychiatric disorder. We used multivariate analysis to compare EEG abnormalities, clinical symptoms, and intelligence levels between PDD and AD/AD patient groups. Paroxysmal discharges at the frontopolar-frontal (Fp-F) brain regions and background EEG abnormalities tended to be detected preferentially in the PDD group, although paroxysmal discharges at central-temporal (C-T) regions tended to be detected preferentially in the AD/HD group. The paroxysmal discharges observed in patients expressing persistence and impulsivity are apparently localized respectively in the Fp-F and C-T regions. A combination of EEG abnormalities, including background EEG abnormalities and paroxysmal discharges at Fp-F and C-T regions, might be useful diagnostic hallmarks to distinguish PDD with AD/HD from AD/HD alone using a logistic regression model. The dysfunction of specific brain areas associated with EEG abnormalities might explain characteristics of clinical symptoms observed in PDD and AD/HD patients.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan. kawatani@u-fukui.ac.jp
Masao
M
Kawatani
Michio
M
Hiratani
Hiroshi
H
Kometani
Akio
A
Nakai
Hirokazu
H
Tsukahara
Akemi
A
Tomoda
Mitsufumi
M
Mayumi
Yusei
Y
Ohshima
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014705:Verbal Behavior