Quantitative Electroencephalography in Patients With Depression and Epilepsy Spectrum Disorder and Its Correlation With Clinical Features of Depression.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the associations of epilepsy spectrum disorder (ESD) with brain insult and certain quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) and clinico-demographic parameters in patients with depression.

METHODS: 21 right-handed patients aged 18 to 50 years with the diagnosis of depression and ESD (scored ≥70 in Iowa Interview for Partial seizure-like symptoms) were compared with 21 patients with depression but without ESD (scored <70) and 21 normal subjects with <3 positive scores on the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire. Their QEEG parameters such as power spectrum and coherence of five frequency bands in 11 regions were compared.

RESULTS: Patients with ESD had more minor traumatic brain injury along with more severe and multiple depressive episodes. Patients with ESD had significantly higher beta1 power over all regions on the left scalp than did normal subjects. Patients with ESD had significantly higher beta2 power over the left central region than did patients with no ESD and normal subjects.

CONCLUSIONS: For patients with severe recurrent depression, clinicians should systematically check for episodic partial seizure-like phenomena, especially when QEEG shows electrical disorganisation in the left side in those with mild traumatic brain injury.