Electroencephalogram in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a syndrome of unknown etiology that affects 3% to 7% of the population. Although no objective test exists to support the diagnosis, EEG discharges related to the neuropsychiatric abnormalities have a high incidence in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The aim of this study was to elucidate the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of EEG abnormality in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Nonrapid eye movement sleep EEGs were evaluated in 134 patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in terms of age, EEG timing, spike and wave index, foci, and seizures. All patients had spike and wave paroxysms that changed with age at and time to first EEG. Only half of the patients had seizures and 46 patients had neither seizures nor foci. Thirty-eight patients had the EEG findings of benign focal epilepsy of childhood. Our data support the view that spike and wave activity evolves in time and that EEG discharges are related to neuropsychiatric symptoms even when a diagnosable seizure disorder is absent.

Effect of anti‐attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication on clinical seizures and sleep EEG: A retrospective study of Japanese children with ADHD

“…Electroencephalography assessment was performed by measuring spikes, slow waves, and spike‐and‐wave complexes detected in a 10‐minute EEG recording during light sleep in 0.1‐second units, as previously described by Altunel et al 25 The wave durations were calculated as the paroxysmal index (PI; Figure 1 ). PI was calculated visually by a pediatric neurologist.…”

“…Therefore, we thought that we should consider whether epileptic discharges, not basic wave abnormalities, are affected by ADHD treatments. There is a previous study 25 that elucidates EEG abnormalities in ADHD by analyzing the appearance time of epileptic discharges. We referred their study method, called PI index, in this study.…”

Reappraisal of abnormal EEG findings in children with ADHD: On the relationship between ADHD and epileptiform discharges

“…c o m / l o c a t e / y e b e h convulsions in children, which was supposed to be due to MPH possibly being a psychostimulant. Against this background, reappraisal of EEG findings in children with ADHD is important in order to make a diagnosis and therapeutic strategy and to investigate the developmental mechanisms of the neurophysiological manifestations in patients with ADHD [11][12][13][14]. The author examined EEG findings in children newly diagnosed with ADHD and investigated their relationship with clinical findings.…”

The relationship between epilepsy, sleep disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children: A review of the literature

“…After, 3 articles were excluded secondary to unspecified findings (1), EEG specified objective (1) and inclusion of patients with neurological and cognitive deficits (1). Eight articles were considered relevant for this study [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22].…”

“…Altunel [20] conducted a retrospective chart study of 134 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for combined ADHD. The main objective of this study was to elucidate the EEG abnormalities in ADHD.…”