Use of quantitative electroencephalography as a marker of severity of patients with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder with increasing prevalence over the past years. Its grading depends on a time-consuming Scales like CARS, ADOS and GARS scales. Our aim is to study if quantitative EEG can be used as a marker of ASD severity. This is a cross sectional study conducted in the period from September 2021 till March 2022. It included 53 patients (41 males and12 females, with age ranging between 3 and 12 years) diagnosed by an experienced psychiatrist according to DSM5 criteria. Patients were recruited from 4 autism centers in Al-Hillah city. All patients were assessed by history, physical examination and Gilliam autism rating scale (GARS 3). Then they undergo quantitative electroencephalographic recording in awake state. The study results showed that spectral power of delta wave both total and regional were significantly increased as the severity of ASD symptoms increased, while alpha spectral power was decreased with increasing severity of ASD. Beta and theta spectral power was unchanged. Also, at cut off value of power spectrum of delta of =27 Mv, give 75% sensitivity and 100 specificity for grading severe ASD.