Mirjam J van Tricht1, Stephan Ruhrmann2, Martijn Arns3, Ralf Müller2, Mitja Bodatsch2, Eva Velthorst4, Johannes H T M Koelman5, Lo J Bour5, Katharina Zurek2, Frauke Schultze-Lutter6, Joachim Klosterkötter2, Don H Linszen4, Lieuwe de Haan4, Anke Brockhaus-Dumke7, Dorien H Nieman4. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Electronic address: mjvantricht@gmail.com. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Germany. 3. Research Institute Brainclinics, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Netherlands. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. 5. Department of Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. 6. University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Bern, Switzerland. 7. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Rheinhessen-Fachklinik Alzey, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prediction studies in subjects at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis are hampered by a high proportion of uncertain outcomes. We therefore investigated whether quantitative EEG (QEEG) parameters can contribute to an improved identification of CHR subjects with a later conversion to psychosis. METHODS: This investigation was a project within the European Prediction of Psychosis Study (EPOS), a prospective multicenter, naturalistic field study with an 18-month follow-up period. QEEG spectral power and alpha peak frequencies (APF) were determined in 113 CHR subjects. The primary outcome measure was conversion to psychosis. RESULTS: Cox regression yielded a model including frontal theta (HR=1.82; [95% CI 1.00-3.32]) and delta (HR=2.60; [95% CI 1.30-5.20]) power, and occipital-parietal APF (HR=.52; [95% CI .35-.80]) as predictors of conversion to psychosis. The resulting equation enabled the development of a prognostic index with three risk classes (hazard rate 0.057 to 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Power in theta and delta ranges and APF contribute to the short-term prediction of psychosis and enable a further stratification of risk in CHR samples. Combined with (other) clinical ratings, EEG parameters may therefore be a useful tool for individualized risk estimation and, consequently, targeted prevention.
BACKGROUND: Prediction studies in subjects at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis are hampered by a high proportion of uncertain outcomes. We therefore investigated whether quantitative EEG (QEEG) parameters can contribute to an improved identification of CHR subjects with a later conversion to psychosis. METHODS: This investigation was a project within the European Prediction of Psychosis Study (EPOS), a prospective multicenter, naturalistic field study with an 18-month follow-up period. QEEG spectral power and alpha peak frequencies (APF) were determined in 113 CHR subjects. The primary outcome measure was conversion to psychosis. RESULTS: Cox regression yielded a model including frontal theta (HR=1.82; [95% CI 1.00-3.32]) and delta (HR=2.60; [95% CI 1.30-5.20]) power, and occipital-parietal APF (HR=.52; [95% CI .35-.80]) as predictors of conversion to psychosis. The resulting equation enabled the development of a prognostic index with three risk classes (hazard rate 0.057 to 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Power in theta and delta ranges and APF contribute to the short-term prediction of psychosis and enable a further stratification of risk in CHR samples. Combined with (other) clinical ratings, EEG parameters may therefore be a useful tool for individualized risk estimation and, consequently, targeted prevention.
Authors: Avinash Ramyead; Michael Kometer; Erich Studerus; Susan Koranyi; Sarah Ittig; Ute Gschwandtner; Peter Fuhr; Anita Riecher-Rössler Journal: Schizophr Bull Date: 2014-09-09 Impact factor: 9.306