Nash Boutros, Silvana Galderisi, Oliver Pogarell, Silvana Riggio,Editors, ,Standard...
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Book Review Standard Electroencephalography in Clinical Psychiatry: A Practical Handbook, Nash Boutros, Silvana Galderisi, Oliver Pogarell, Silvana Riggio (Eds.), Wiley–Blackwell, Oxford/Chichester, 2011, Paperback. 198 pp. £34.99/€42.00/$57.95. ISBN: 978-0-470-74782-7 It is easy to overlook that the field of electroencephalography emerged directly from the field of psychiatry, as studies have reported that electroencephalograms (EEGs) arising from psychiatric referrals have the lowest abnormality detection rates. Electroencephalography is used in psychiatry to elucidate the etiology and pathological mechanisms of psychiatric disorders, thus aiding clinical diagnosis and guiding appropriate treatment. The non-invasiveness and low cost of the procedure appear to attract clinicians to use of this investigative tool. Psychiatrists should base their use of electroencephalography on robust clinical assessment and should be aware of the limitations inherent in the procedure (Badrakalimuthu VR, Swamiraju R, de Waal H. Adv Psychiatr Treat 2011;17:114–21). Thus, it becomes essential that clinicians have a practical handbook to guide them in understanding and interpreting electroencephalographic results in the complex context of psychiatric disorders with behavioral disturbances, comorbid physical illnesses, and substance misuse and varying compliance with psychotropic medications. Since the landmark book EEG and Evoked Potentials in Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurology by Hughes and Wilson in 1983, there has been a huge void in bringing together the latest understanding of electroen- cephalography and the development of psychiatry clinics. Standard Electroencephalography in Clinical Psychiatry: A Practical Handbook offers a solution with its 12 well-written chapters that bring together the theory and technique that underpin electroencephalography along with the clinical presentations. The focus of Chapter 2 is elucidating the electrophysiological basis of electroencephalography, which is very important as many abnormalities arise from ionic imbalances caused by varied etiologies including metabolic disorders. Chapter 3 describes the technique of recording an EEG and is complemented by traces that are impacted on by various artifacts, biological and technical. This may help to avoid the false-positive diagnoses that electroencephalography can lead clinicians with untrained eyes to make. In my opinion, Chapter 4, with its elaborate description of normal rhythm patterns accompanied by EEG traces, is the sheet anchor of this book, particularly for clinicians who may have just started their journey to decipher the cryptic language from the cortex. Chapter 5 focuses on abnormal EEG patterns caused by epilepti- form activity, metabolic disorders that can be associated with delirium, encephalopathies, ischemic disorders, and space-occupying lesions. Contrast this with Chapter 6, which emphasizes the delineation between epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic attacks, more impor- tantly as the latter are probably more common the former. This is helpful to a psychiatrist working in a neuropsychiatric or liaison clinic, where an understanding of electroencephalography is very helpful in solving the clinical conundrums that psychogenic nonepileptic attacks can produce. Chapters 8 to 10 concern electroencephalographic findings in psychiatric disorders. The chapters include clinical vignettes and EEG traces that will undoubtedly go a long way in helping clinicians make appropriate referrals for electroencephalography and understand an abnormal result in the context of a clinical case scenario. Chapter 11, on the abnormal rhythm patterns that psychotropic medications can produce, is essential in delineating the impact of psychotropic medications on ion channels mediated by various receptors. The final chapter summarizes the current training provisions (or lack of such provisions, in many cases) across various countries, which is very important as I expect that readers of this book will urge their respective academic bodies and faculties to rectify this travesty in being blind to one of the easily accessible investigations. Although the preface sets the terms of reference for this book, which excludes qualitative electroencephalography, understandably still in its infancy, it would have been very effective if the advances in qualitative electroencephalography had been incorporated into the otherwise well-written chapters. Future editions of this book would benefit from addition of section at the end of each chapter that tests the learning of the reader through questions associated with clinical scenarios or electroencephalographic traces. In summary, this book will most certainly be included in psychiatry curricula and will be a milestone of which Hans Berger will be proud. V.R. Badrakalimuthu Specialty Registrar in Old Age Psychiatry, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK. Fax: +44 1223218633. E-mail address: [email protected]. 7 May 2011 Epilepsy & Behavior 21 (2011) 489 doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.05.011 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Epilepsy & Behavior journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/yebeh
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Transcript of Nash Boutros, Silvana Galderisi, Oliver Pogarell, Silvana Riggio,Editors, ,Standard...
Epilepsy & Behavior 21 (2011) 489
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Epilepsy & Behavior
j ourna l homepage: www.e lsev ie r.com/ locate /yebeh
Book Review
Standard Electroencephalography in Clinical Psychiatry: A PracticalHandbook, Nash Boutros, Silvana Galderisi, Oliver Pogarell, SilvanaRiggio (Eds.), Wiley–Blackwell, Oxford/Chichester, 2011, Paperback.198 pp. £34.99/€42.00/$57.95. ISBN: 978-0-470-74782-7
It is easy to overlook that the field of electroencephalographyemerged directly from the field of psychiatry, as studies have reportedthat electroencephalograms (EEGs) arising from psychiatric referralshave the lowest abnormality detection rates. Electroencephalographyis used in psychiatry to elucidate the etiology and pathologicalmechanisms of psychiatric disorders, thus aiding clinical diagnosisand guiding appropriate treatment. The non-invasiveness and lowcostof the procedure appear to attract clinicians to use of this investigativetool. Psychiatrists should base their use of electroencephalographyon robust clinical assessment and should be aware of the limitationsinherent in the procedure (Badrakalimuthu VR, Swamiraju R, deWaal H. Adv Psychiatr Treat 2011;17:114–21). Thus, it becomesessential that clinicians have a practical handbook to guide themin understanding and interpreting electroencephalographic resultsin the complex context of psychiatric disorders with behavioraldisturbances, comorbid physical illnesses, and substance misuse andvarying compliance with psychotropic medications.
Since the landmarkbook EEGand Evoked Potentials in Psychiatry andBehavioral Neurology by Hughes and Wilson in 1983, there has been ahuge void in bringing together the latest understanding of electroen-cephalography and the development of psychiatry clinics. StandardElectroencephalography in Clinical Psychiatry: A Practical Handbookoffers a solution with its 12 well-written chapters that bring togetherthe theory and technique that underpin electroencephalography alongwith the clinical presentations.
The focus of Chapter 2 is elucidating the electrophysiologicalbasis of electroencephalography, which is very important as manyabnormalities arise from ionic imbalances caused by varied etiologiesincluding metabolic disorders. Chapter 3 describes the technique ofrecording an EEG and is complemented by traces that are impacted onby various artifacts, biological and technical. This may help to avoidthe false-positive diagnoses that electroencephalography can leadclinicians with untrained eyes to make. In my opinion, Chapter 4,with its elaborate description of normal rhythmpatterns accompaniedby EEG traces, is the sheet anchor of this book, particularly forclinicians who may have just started their journey to decipher thecryptic language from the cortex.
doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.05.011
Chapter 5 focuses on abnormal EEG patterns caused by epilepti-formactivity,metabolic disorders that can be associatedwithdelirium,encephalopathies, ischemic disorders, and space-occupying lesions.Contrast this with Chapter 6, which emphasizes the delineationbetween epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic attacks, more impor-tantly as the latter are probably more common the former. This ishelpful to a psychiatrist working in a neuropsychiatric or liaison clinic,where an understanding of electroencephalography is very helpful insolving the clinical conundrums that psychogenic nonepileptic attackscan produce.
Chapters 8 to 10 concern electroencephalographic findings inpsychiatric disorders. The chapters include clinical vignettes and EEGtraces that will undoubtedly go a long way in helping clinicians makeappropriate referrals for electroencephalography and understand anabnormal result in the context of a clinical case scenario. Chapter 11,on the abnormal rhythm patterns that psychotropic medicationscan produce, is essential in delineating the impact of psychotropicmedications on ion channels mediated by various receptors. The finalchapter summarizes the current training provisions (or lack of suchprovisions, in many cases) across various countries, which is veryimportant as I expect that readers of this bookwill urge their respectiveacademic bodies and faculties to rectify this travesty in being blind toone of the easily accessible investigations.
Although the preface sets the terms of reference for this book,which excludes qualitative electroencephalography, understandablystill in its infancy, it would have been very effective if the advances inqualitative electroencephalography had been incorporated into theotherwise well-written chapters. Future editions of this book wouldbenefit from addition of section at the end of each chapter that teststhe learning of the reader through questions associated with clinicalscenarios or electroencephalographic traces. In summary, this bookwill most certainly be included in psychiatry curricula and will be amilestone of which Hans Berger will be proud.
V.R. BadrakalimuthuSpecialty Registrar in Old Age Psychiatry,
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation Trust,Cambridge, UK. Fax: +44 1223218633.
E-mail address: [email protected].
7 May 2011
