Alterazioni elettroencefalografiche e disturbi dello spettro autistico: analisi di una casistica di pazienti

Aim:Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits and presence of restricted interests/repetitive behaviors.Recently, there has been interest in the occurrence of electroencephalography anomalies and epilepsy in autism.Rates as high as 60% have been reported and some investigators proposed that these abnormalities may play a causal role in the autism phenotype.Methods:This study examined the nature and frequency of EEGs abnormalities in 104 patients with a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorders.Results:In our sample of 104 patients, we found EEGs abnormalities with a rate as high as 57,9%, according with other investigations, mainly localized in temporo-occipital region.Conclusion:We reviewed existing data and we found the hypoyhesis that severe EEGs abnormalities tended to be related to the neuropsychological function.Our results will be compared with the neuropsycological features, with the aim to evaluate a relationship with the EEGs abnormalities.