PROBLEMS IN THE CATEGORIZATION OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT EEGs*

Abstract
SUMMARY: A negative replication of Nuffield's (1961a, b) neuropsychiatric correlation study is presented. Of 946 patients seen over a twelve‐year period in the EEG Department of The Maudsley Hospital, 350 had spike abnormalities in their EEGs; however, only 22 patients had “pure” EEG patterns (unilateral temporal lobe spike; generalized 3 c/sec spike and wave; generalized, irregular spike and wave). Of these, 11 had only had a single EEG and a further 2 patients had normal follow‐up recordings. The authors conclude that previously reported neuropsychiatric correlations based upon “pure” EEGs may be the result of chance finding only.