EVIDENCE FOR PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN PATIENTS WITH RHYTHMIC MIDTEMPORAL DISCHARGES

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (12) , 1623-1634
Abstract
To obtain further evidence of possible psychopathology, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was administered to 25 patients (pt) who had the controversial EEG pattern of rhythmic midtemporal discharges (RMTD), psychomotor variant. The pt were divided into a retrospective and prospective group, the former consisting of only a minority (36%) of pt who had previously agreed to cooperate and the latter consisting of every pt (100%) showing the pattern in a 3-yr period. The scores of all RMTD pt were abnormal (.apprx. 2 SD above the normal mean) for hypochondriasis, schizophrenia, depression, and hysteria and were classified as Abnormal on Rule 1 on the Goldberg sequential diagnostic system. Patients with intermediate or many bursts of this pattern were also classified as Abnormal; they scored higher on every clinical scale, significantly so on 5 of the clinical scales and were significantly different with regard to the number of clinical scale scores at or over the T value of 70 as well as 80. The MMPI profile of RMTD pt is similar to those with definite temporal lobe epilepsy but different from pt with general medical disorders.