Retrospective Analysis of Nonepileptic Patients With Isolated Epileptiform Discharges Treated With Anticonvulsants

Abnormal Electroencephalogram Findings and Its Correlation With Clinical Features From Pediatric Patients in Psychiatric Clinic

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the occurrence of electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities in pediatric patients attending an outpatient psychiatry clinic at a tertiary center. We examined the rates of abnormalities and specific findings based on demographics, specific diagnoses, and clinical severity. Methods: This study included pediatric patients who underwent EEG at the outpatient psychiatry clinic. Patient demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, intellectual disability, intelligent quotient (IQ) score, family history of psychiatric disorders, and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) score were obtained through retrospective electronic health record analysis. The rate of EEG abnormalities was calculated, and specific abnormal findings were reviewed. Relationships between the rate of EEG abnormalities and diagnosis, severity, IQ, and age at EEG examination were analyzed. Results: Of 319 patients who underwent EEG, 21.3% (68 patients) of patients exhibited abnormalities, including background abnormalities (14.7%, 47 patients), interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) (10.3%, 33 patients), and a slow posterior dominant rhythm (3.8%, 10 patients). The frontal region was the most commonly affected area. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) had the most frequent abnormalities (29.8%), followed by anxiety (16.7%), sleep (14.3%), mood (11.7%), psychotic (5%), and conduct disorders (0%). Disease severity did not correlate with the rate of EEG abnormalities. Adjusted for age, sex, severity, and family history, patients with EEG abnormalities exhibited lower IQ scores. Conclusion: EEG abnormalities were common in pediatric patients with psychiatric disorders, with background abnormalities detected as frequently as IEDs. Disease severity was not associated with EEG abnormality, while IQ scores showed a negative correlation.

Isolated epileptiform activity in children and adolescents: prevalence, relevance, and implications for treatment

In the field of psychiatry diagnoses are primarily based on the report of symptoms from either the patient, parents, or both, and a psychiatrist's observations. A psychiatric diagnosis is currently the most widely used basis for medication selection and the brain is seldom investigated directly as a source of those symptoms. This study addresses the request from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC) for scientific research into neurological abnormalities that can be linked to psychiatric symptoms for the purpose of predicting medication response. One such neurological abnormality that has been the focus of many studies over the last three decades is isolated epileptiform discharges (IEDs) in children and adolescents without seizures. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine prevalence rates of IEDs within diagnostic categories. We then compared the prevalence of IEDs in the selected literature to our IRB-approved data archive. Our study found a consistent high prevalence of IEDs specifically for ADHD (majority > 25%) and ASD (majority > 59%), and consistent low prevalence rates were found for Depression (3%). If children and adolescents have failed multiple medication attempts, and more than one-third of them have IEDs, then an EEG would be justified within the RDoC paradigm.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) for children with autism spectrum disorder: evidential considerations for routine screening

Routine electroencephalograms (EEG) are not recommended as a screen for epileptic discharges (EDs) in current practice guidelines for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, a review of the research from the last three decades suggests that this practice should be reevaluated. The significant comorbidity between epilepsy and ASD, its shared biological pathways, risk for developmental regression, and cognitive challenges demand increased clinical investigation requiring a proactive approach. This review highlights and explains the need for screening EEGs for children with ASD. EEG would assist in differentiating EDs from core features of ASD and could be included in a comprehensive assessment. EEG also meets the demand for evidence-based precision medicine and focused care for the individual, especially when overlapping processes of development are present.