This research assessed whether individual differences in anterior brain asymmetry are linked to differences in basic dimensions of emotion. In each of 2 experimental sessions, separated by 3 weeks, resting electroencephalogram (EEG) activity was recorded from female adults during 8 60-s baselines. Mean alpha power asymmetry across both sessions was extracted in mid-frontal and anterior temporal sites. Across both regions, groups demonstrating stable and extreme relative left anterior activation reported increased generalized positive affect (PA) and decreased generalized negative affect (NA) compared with groups demonstrating stable and extreme relative right anterior activation. Additional correlational analyses revealed robust relations between anterior asymmetry and PA and NA, particularly among subjects who demonstrated stable patterns of EEG activation over time. Anterior asymmetry was unrelated to individual differences in generalized reactivity.

New-onset epileptic seizures occur in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the nature and underlying reasons for these seizures are unclear. We identified new-onset, nonsymptomatic seizures in 77 (17%) of 446 patients with uncomplicated, definite AD on autopsy. Among these seizure patients, 69 had generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and 55 had less than three total seizures. The seizure patients had a younger age of dementia onset than did the remaining AD patients; however, at seizure onset, they averaged 6.8 years into their AD and had advanced dementia. When further compared to 77 AD controls, matched for age of onset and duration, the seizure patients did not differ on medical illnesses, amount of medications, and degree of focal neuropathology. We conclude that a few unprovoked generalized seizures frequently occur late in the course of AD, and that AD patients with a younger age of dementia onset are particularly susceptible to seizures.

BACKGROUND:The recent interest of clinical laboratories in developing serum testosterone assays based on isotope dilution-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) stems from the lack of accuracy of direct immunoassays. In this study, we assessed the accuracy and state of standardization (traceability) of 4 published ID-LC-MS/MS procedures in a method comparison with an ID-gas chromatography (GC)-MS reference measurement procedure listed in the database of the Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine.

Prior studies have incompletely established a relationship between epilepsy and schizophrenia, primarily because of methodological difficulties. We undertook a two-part retrospective investigation of neurology clinic patients with epilepsy and schizophrenia. Part I: Interictal schizophrenic disorders occurred in 149 (9.25%) of 1,611 epileptic outpatients, compared with only 23 (1.06%) of 2,167 migraine outpatients. Part II: Among age- and sex-matched groups, we compared 62 epilepsy-with-schizophrenia patients with 62 epilepsy patients on six seizure variables, and we compared them with 62 schizophrenia patients on 10 psychosis variables. The epilepsy-with-schizophrenia group had a later epilepsy age of onset with more complex partial seizures, more patients with auras, and fewer patients with generalized epilepsy. Except for increased suicidal behavior, epileptic patients did not differ from controls on psychosis variables; however, psychotic symptoms often emerged with increased seizure activity. Together these results support a distinct association of schizophrenic disorders with epilepsy, particularly with seizures emanating from the temporal limbic system.