Increased prevalence of electrophysiological abnormalities in children with psychological, physical, and sexual abuse.

This retrospective study examined the association between abuse history and neurological abnormalities in 115 consecutive patients admitted to a child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit. Increased electrophysiological abnormalities were found in abused patients compared with non-abused patients (54.4% vs. 26.9%, P = 0.021), predominantly in the left side of the frontal, temporal, or anterior region (P = 0.036). This may support the hypothesis that early abuse alters brain development, particularly limbic structures. However, a large-scale prospective longitudinal assessment study is needed to interpret this association. Possible clinical consequences of relatively preserved right frontal function are discussed.