Psychosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Psychosis, including details on clinical depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.

Is there evidence in the EEG for increased epileptiform activity in ICD-10 acute and transient psychotic disorder?

Rottig S, Pillmann F, Bloink R, Haring A, Marneros A

University Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany. stephan.roettig@medizin.uni-halle.de

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine whether there is electroencephalographic evidence for an increased epileptiform activity in the EEG of ICD-10 acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPD; F23) as a hint for a closer relationship to epilepsy. METHODS: We analyzed the EEGs of 39 inpatients with ATPD, comparing them with 'positive' schizophrenic and bipolar schizoaffective controls matched for age and gender. The evaluation was performed visually and qualitatively using a rating scale of demonstrated reliability. RESULTS: We found no indication of an increased incidence of epileptiform discharges in ATPD compared with 'positive' schizophrenic and bipolar schizoaffective controls. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis of a relationship between ATPD and epilepsy could not be confirmed by EEG findings.

Published 10 October 2005 in Psychopathology, 38(5): 281-4.
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