Nn. Boutros, DIFFUSE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM SLOWING IN PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT, Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience, 21(4), 1996, pp. 259-263
Diffuse slowing constitutes 40% of all electroencephalogram (EEG) abno
rmalities in psychiatric patients, Correlations have been demonstrated
between the degree of slowing of the EEC and impairment of functions
such as awareness, attention, memory, and comprehension, We conducted
the current study in order to determine whether diffuse EEG slowing in
hospitalized psychiatric patients correlated with hospitalization ind
ices, Twenty-five patients with diffusely slow EEGs were selected for
the study, and 25 patients with normal EEGs were matched to these subj
ects, Medical records were reviewed for each patient's diagnosis, leng
th of stay, number of medications, and the dosages, Length of stay was
significantly longer in the slow EEG group, The number of psychotropi
c medications used and the dosages of antipsychotic medications were a
lso significantly higher in the slow EEG group, We concluded that the
longer length of stay and the increased number of medications and dosa
ges in the slow EEG group may be a reflection of increased illness sev
erity.