RESTING EEG IN FIRST-EPISODE SCHIZOPHRENIA-PATIENTS, BIPOLAR PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS, AND THEIR FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES

We evaluated the resting electroencephalogram (EEG) of 50 first-episod e schizophrenia patients and 55 of their relatives, 31 first-episode b ipolar patients and 35 of their relatives, and 113 nonpsychiatric subj ects and 42 of their relatives. The frequency characteristics of the E EG showed moderate stability for a subgroup of these subjects (n = 106 ) who were tested twice, approximately 9 months apart. Both the schizo phrenia and bipolar patients showed a generalized pattern of increased delta and theta and decreased alpha activity. The bipolar patients de monstrated additional right hemisphere activity that was not present a mong the schizophrenia patients and nonpsychiatric subjects, a finding consistent with hypotheses concerning nondominant hemisphere involvem ent in the regulation of elated mood. The schizophrenia patients' fema le relatives and/or relatives with affective disorders and the bipolar patients had significantly reduced peak alpha frequencies. This findi ng may be related to reduced information processing capacity among the se subjects.