| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2015 | Volume
: 52
| Issue : 3 | Page : 176-182 |
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Quantitative EEG in autistic children
Hala Elhabashy1, Omnia Raafat2, Lamia Afifi1, Hebatallah Raafat1, Khaled Abdullah1
1 Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
2 Department of Psychiatry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Correspondence Address:
Lamia Afifi
Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Cairo University, Kasr Al Ainy St., Cairo 11562
Egypt
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/1110-1083.162031
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Background
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized mainly by difficulties in social interaction and communication. Studies have suggested abnormal neural connectivity patterns in the brains of patients with autism.
Objective
The current work aimed to study the quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) findings in autistic children and compare it with those of normal controls.
Methods
The EEG recordings of 21 autistic children between 4 and 12 years of age were compared with those of 21 age-matched and sex-matched controls under an eyes-opened condition. Differences in cerebral functioning were examined using measurements of absolute and relative power and intrahemispheric and interhemispheric coherence.
Results
There were statistically significant differences in EEG power between the autistic and control groups, with greater absolute of delta and theta power especially at the frontal region in autistic children. There was also global reduction in relative alpha and beta power especially in the frontal, central, and posterior regions in autistic children. In addition, there was a pattern of underconnectivity and overconnectivity when measuring the intrahemispheric and interhemispheric coherence in the autistic compared with the control group.
Conclusion
These results suggested regional dysfunction of the brain in autistic children, along with a pattern of abnormal neural connectivity, which could explain the autistic symptomatology. |
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