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Study Explores Relationship Between Autism and Subclinical Epilepsy
February 28, 2006
Extended 24-hour EEG tests documented subclinical epilepsy in 60% of the autistic patients studied. The findings appeared in an article by Michael G. Chez, MD in the February 2006 issue of Epilepsy & Behavior. The ten-year study of 889 children was entitled "Frequency of Epileptiform EEG abnormalities in a sequential screening of autistic patients with no known clinical epilepsy from 1996 to 2005."
In the article, Dr. Chez, a Pediatric Epileptologist, who has specialied in autism and behavorial disorders, noted that there was a distinct value in doing 24-hour recordings versus routine EEGs with a typical recording time of just 20 to 30 minutes. In this study, almost all the abnormal EEG readings were seen during sleep, typically after the second or third REM cycle. Sedating patients for short routine studies would change EEG patterns and not yield the same results as EEGs taken during natural sleep.
Dr. Chez pointed out that many physicians and behavorial disorder specialists have felt that making prolonged recordings of patients in this group would be difficult to obtain. However, by using DigiTrace EEG battery-powered recorders, the children in the study were able to carry on with their normal routines. "I think the children often forgot about the battery-powered recording unit," notes Dr. Chez. The patient set-up time is the same for both the routine EEG and the prolonged DigiTrace study.
Given that the study participants were active children, the durability of the recording device was a concern. However, out of 889 studies, only 6 resulted in failure. In four instances there ws a battery malfunction and in two cases the patient pulled on the EEG electrodes when a parent wasn't watching.
The study, which is the largest retrospective collection to date, confirms the suggestion of the Cure Autism Now Consensus Group that prolonged sleep EEGs would demonstrate a higher yield of EEG abnormalities. Furthermore, treating the abnormalities with valproic acid formulations had a positive impact on many patients. The study also suggests that by treating subclinical abnormalities early, it may be possible to prevent clinical seizure development later in life.
Further screening of this population with prolonged EEGs could help researchers understand the evolution of autism and the potential positive impact of early intervention.
For more information about DigiTrace EEG studies and testing centers, contact SleepMed, Inc. at (800) 334-5085 or via email at eegservices@sleepmed.md.
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