QUANTITATIVE EEG IN CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES Analysis of band power

ABSTRACT- In order to better understand the mechanisms of learning disabilities it is important to eval-uate the electroencephalogram parameters and their relation to the results of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Thirty-six children with complaints of learning disability were studied. Electroencephalograms were c a rried out while awake and resting, and the values for absolute and relative powers calculated. The re s u l t s w e re compared with those of 36 healthy children paired with respect to age, gender and maternal scholas-tic level. In the group with learning disabilities, the absolute (in the delta, theta and alpha 1 bands) and relative (theta) power values were higher and the relative power alpha 2 value significantly lower at the majority of the electrodes in relation to the control group. There was a high positive correlation in the c h i l d ren with learning disabilities between the relative power alpha 2 and the verbal, perf o rmance and total IQ values. These quantitative electroencephalogram findings in children with learning disabilities have a clear relation with psychological measurements and could be due to brain immaturity. KEY WORDS: quantitative EEG, EEG maturation, frequency analysis, cognition, intelligence quotient. E l e t rencefalograma quantitativo em crianças com dificuldades de aprendizagem: análise de fre-qüências RESUMO- Para compreender melhor os mecanismos das dificuldades de aprendizagem é importante avalia