ABSTRACT

Autism causes deviations in communication, social, cognitive, and behavioral development. Retrospective analysis of EEG findings in children with autism and attention deficit evaluated in a child psychiatric clinic between 2011 and 2012 was performed in the present study.

Of the 20 subjects included, 14 were male (80%), and 4 were female (20%), all between the ages of 3 and 19 years.

No sign of epilepsy was present in patient histories. EEG findings were normal in 8 patients (40%), of whom all were male with a mean age of 6±3.7 years. Epileptiform activity or mild, diffuse slowing was present in the EEGs of 12 patients with a mean age of 12±3.3 years. Focal epileptiform activity was found in 7 cases (58.7%), and generalized epileptiform discharges were found in 1 (8.3%). Mild, diffuse slowing was found in 4 (33%) patients.

It has been reported that autism and attention deficit patients have different rates of EEG abnormality and epilepsy. In the present study, epileptiform abnormality was present in 40% of patients. It is remarkable that repeated and sleep EEGs can improve the ability to determine this abnormality rate. It is important to highlight these differences in order to increase the prognostic value of the EEG and its contribution to physiopathology in child psychiatry patients.

Keywords: EEG anomalies, epilepsy, hyperactivity, autism