<p> Sharp waves are areas of transient electrophysiological activity on conventional electroencephalogram (EEG) and are controversial as to their role in psychopathology. While some previous research has approached sub-seizure sharp waves as benign phenomena, the position taken in this study is that such activity indicates focal brain abnormalities with demonstrable behavioral correlations. This study explored the hypotheses that prevalence, location, and pattern of distribution of sharp wave activities in psychiatric patients would be associated with significant pathology and would predict specific clinical features. In a sample of 250 outpatient psychiatric patients, seventy-one non-epileptic patients demonstrated focal epileptiform predominantly distributed to frontotemporal regions. Location and distribution patterns of sharp wave activity had significant implications for clinical presentation, including relationship between homologous pairs of electrodes and affective symptom endorsement. Results of this study provide support of the pathological nature of epileptiform activity and suggest location and distribution have significant impact on clinical features. </p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3560217 |
| Date | 04 June 2013 |
| Creators | Zimmerman, Elizabeth M. |
| Publisher | The Chicago School of Professional Psychology |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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