Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristics and Therapeutic Implications

Abstract

A large body of literature reports the higher prevalence of epilepsy in subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to the general population. Similarly, several studies report an increased rate of Subclinical Electroencephalographic Abnormalities (SEAs) in seizure-free patients with ASD rather than healthy controls, although with varying percentages. SEAs include both several epileptiform discharges and different non-epileptiform electroencephalographic abnormalities. They are more frequently associated with lower intellectual functioning, more serious dysfunctional behaviors, and they are often sign of severer forms of autism. However, SEAs clinical implications remain controversial, and they could represent an epiphenomenon of the neurochemical alterations of autism etiology. This paper provides an overview of the major research findings with two main purposes: to better delineate the state-of-the-art about EEG abnormalities in ASD and to find evidence for or against appropriateness of SEAs pharmacological treatment in ASD.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorders; electroencephalogram; epilepsy; epileptogenic abnormalities; non-epileptiform abnormalities.

Figure 1

Illustration of the U-shaped profile of abnormal power pattern in autism spectrum disorders (from Wang et al., 2013) [49].