The electroencephalographic findings in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) consists of inappropriate agility, short attention time and hyperactivity. The relationship between cognitive functions, EEG findings and epilepsy in patiens with ADHD is an important issue being discussed in recent years. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of EEG abnormality and its relationship with clinical findings and provide new recommedations in the follow up of children with ADHD.Material and methods: Total of 434 children who were followed with the diagnosis of ADHD at Inonu University Pediatric Neurology and Child Psychiatry departments between January 2010 and June 2012 between the ages of 2-17 years were included in the study. Patients? demographic data were recorded and sleep and/or awake EEG of all patients were taken regardless of seizure history.Results: A total of 21.9% epileptic and 15.2% nonepileptic paroxysmal discharges were detected in EEG. Epileptic discharges were found significantly higher in patients who had sleep EEG compared to those who had awake EEG (p<0,0001). Epileptic discharges were more common in attention deficit type of ADHD, in right hemisfer regions and frontotemporal, frontosentral and temporal regions. Clinical seizure history was observed in 20,5% of all patients while 63% in patients with epileptic discharge in EEG and 6.2% in patients with normal EEG. The mean verbal WISC-R score (79.6±18.89) was significantly lower than performance score (85±19,82) and the WISC-R scores were lower in patients with epileptic abnormalities in EEG than patients with normal EEG (p<0.0001).Conclusion: High rates of EEG abnormalities in patients with ADHD is important in pathophysiology of clinical findings and thought to be associated with possible structural abnormalities. The presence of high epileptic abnormalities in sleep EEG reflects the importance of sleep deprivation EEG even in absence of seziure history. There is an important relationship between epileptical EEG findings and development of clinical seizure. The finding of lower WISC-R scores in cases having seizures suggested that interictal epileptic discharges affect cognitive functions.