Beneficial effects of bilateral subthalamic stimulation on alexithymia in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) improves quality of life (QoL) and motor and non-motor symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its effect on alexithymia and its relationship to other neuropsychiatric symptoms and QoL in PD is unclear. METHODS: In this prospective, observational study of 39 patients with PD undergoing STN-DBS, we examined the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Self-Report Manic Inventory (SRMI), Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) activities of daily living, UPDRS motor examination and UPDRS complications (UPDRS-II/-III/-IV) and levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD) pre-operatively and at 5-month follow-up. Outcome changes were tested with Wilcoxon signed-rank or paired t-test when parametric tests were applicable and corrected for multiple comparisons. The relationship between outcome changes was explored with bivariate correlations. Additionally, partial correlations between PDQ-8 and TAS-20 were computed controlling for HADS, SRMI and AES change scores. Predictor analyses for PDQ-8 improvement were calculated for all baseline parameters. RESULTS: The baseline prevalence of alexithymia was 17.9%. We observed significant beneficial effects of STN-DBS on PDQ-8, TAS-20, HADS, UPDRS-II, -III and -IV scores and significant LEDD reduction. The correlation between TAS-20 and PDQ-8 improvements remained significant after controlling for all other aforementioned outcomes. Predictor analyses for PDQ-8 improvement were significant for PDQ-8 and TAS-20. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of beneficial effects of STN-DBS on alexithymia. Alexithymia was significantly associated with QoL outcome independent of anxiety, depression, mania and apathy. Our study highlights the importance of alexithymia for holistic assessments of DBS outcomes.

Association Between Alexithymia and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Diseases in the SUpplémentation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants (SU.VI.MAX) Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Although it has been suggested that alexythymia is associated with cardiovascular diseases, studies are scarce and a causal relationship is questionable. This study explored the prospective association between alexithymia and cardiovascular events in middle-aged participants without cardiovascular history at baseline. METHODS: The 26-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26) was completed by 5586 participants of the French SUpplémentation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants cohort (41.4% of men, M [SD] age = 52.2 [6.3] years) in 1996-1997. Covariates measured at baseline included age, occupational status, depressive symptoms, smoking status, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. The follow-up ran from January 1, 1998, to the date of the first cardiovascular event, the date of death or September 1, 2007, whichever occurred first. Cardiovascular events were validated by an independent expert committee. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were computed with Cox regressions. RESULTS: During an average of 8.9 years of follow-up, 171 first cardiovascular events were validated. After adjustment for age, sex, and occupational status, there was no association between baseline alexithymia and cardiovascular events at follow-up (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] for 15 points of TAS-26 = 1.00 [0.81-1.23], p > .99). Adjusting for all covariates, using binary TAS-26 cut-offs or TAS-26 subscores yielded similar nonsignificant results. CONCLUSIONS: In this large prospective study, alexithymia and cardiovascular events were not associated among a nonclinical population. This casts some doubt on whether alexithymia could be a meaningful target in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00272428).

Emotion dysregulation and autonomic responses to film, rumination, and body awareness: Extending psychophysiological research to a naturalistic clinical setting and a chemically dependent female sample.

Substance use is a complex clinical problem characterized by emotion dysregulation and daily challenges that can interfere with laboratory research. Thus, few psychophysiological studies examine autonomic and self-report measures of emotion dysregulation with multidiagnostic, chemically dependent samples or extend this work into naturalistic settings. In this study, we used a within-subject design to examine changes in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), electrodermal activity (EDA), and self-reported affect across three tasks designed to elicit distinct psychophysiological and emotional response patterns. We also examined emotion dysregulation as a moderator of psychophysiological responses. Participants include 116 women with multiple comorbid mental health conditions enrolled in substance use treatment, many of whom also reported high emotion dysregulation. Participants were assessed in the treatment setting and completed three tasks: watching a sad movie clip, rumination on a stressful event, and a mindful interoceptive awareness meditation. Multilevel models were used to examine changes from resting baselines to the tasks. During the film, results indicate a significant decrease in RSA and an increase in EDA. For the rumination task, participants showed a decrease in RSA but no EDA response. For the body awareness task, there was an increase in RSA and a decrease in EDA. Emotion dysregulation was associated with differences in baseline RSA but not with EDA or with the slope of response patterns across tasks. Self-reported affect was largely consistent with autonomic patterns. Findings add to the literature on emotion dysregulation, substance use, and the translation of psychophysiological measurements into clinical settings with complex samples.

Vocal emotion processing deficits in HIV-infected individuals.

We aimed to explore the brain imaging correlates of vocal emotion processing in a group of HIV+ individuals and to compare the vocal emotion processing of HIV+ individuals with a group of healthy adults. We conducted multiple linear regressions to determine the cerebral correlates of a newly designed vocal emotion processing test in a sub-group of HIV+ individuals who completed the cerebral magnetic resonance scan (n = 36). Separately, we test whether the association between our test scores and each cerebral measure persisted regardless of the presence of neurocognitive impairment. We also calculated differences in average test scores between the total HIV+ group (n = 100) and a healthy adult group (n = 46). We found a positive association between the test scores and several brain area volumes: right frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, bilateral thalamus, and left hippocampus. We found a negative association between inflammatory markers in frontal white matter and the test scores. After controlling by neurocognitive impairment, several brain area volumes remained positively associated to the prosody test scores. Moreover, the whole HIV+ sample had significantly poorer test scores than healthy adults, but only in the subset of HIV+ individuals with neurocognitive impairment. For the first time, our results suggest that cerebral dysfunctions in particular brain areas involved in the processing of emotional auditory stimuli may occur in HIV+ individuals. These results highlight the need for broad characterization of the neuropsychological consequence of HIV brain damages.

Experiencias y significados de la depresión postparto de mujeres en el contexto de la familia / Vivências e significados da depressão pós-parto de mulheres no contexto da família / Experiences and meanings of post-partum depression in women in the family context

Objetivos: Comprender las experiencias y significados de la depresión materna después del parto para la mujer y su familia; Desarrollar un modelo teórico representativo de la experiencia de la mujer y de la familia. Métodos: Estudio cualitativo tuvo como guía de referencia teórica el interaccionismo Simbólico y la teoría referencial metodológica basada en Datos. Los participantes de este estudio fueron mujeres que han tenido depresión postparto y sus familiares, reclutados a través de hospitales públicos y unidades básicas de salud de la ciudad de Cuiabá-MT. Los datos fueron colectados a través de entrevistas en profundidad con la mujer y la familia. Resultados: El modelo teórico 'Oscilando entre el apoyo y la necesidad de mantener el control' representa las percepciones y estrategias presentes en las experiencias de la mujer y de la familia dirigidas a la adaptación de la vida familiar, a las circunstancias de la vida afectadas por la depresión. Conclusiones: Control y apoyo son los elementos básicos simbólicos de cómo las mujeres y la familia manejan la experiencia desde el inicio de los síntomas hasta la confirmación del diagnóstico (AU)

Objetivos: Compreender as vivências e significados da depressão pós-parto materna para a mulher e sua família; Desenvolver um modelo teórico representativo da experiência da mulher e da família. Métodos: Estudo qualitativo com referencial teórico o Interacionismo Simbólico e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados como referencial metodológico. Os participantes foram mulheres que tiveram depressão pós-parto e seus familiares, recrutados em Hospitais Públicos e Unidades Básicas de Saúde do município de Cuiabá-MT. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas em profundidade. Resultados: O modelo teórico 'Oscilando entre o apoio e a necessidade de manter o controle' representa as percepções e estratégias presentes na experiência da mulher e da família visando à adaptação da vida familiar às circunstâncias da vida afetadas pela depressão. Conclusões: Controle e apoio constituem os elementos simbólicos centrais de como a mulher e a família manejam a experiência desde o início dos sintomas até a constatação do diagnóstico (AU)

Objectives: To understand the experiences and meanings of maternal post-partum depression for the woman and her family; To develop a theoretical model representative of the woman and her family’s experience. Method: Qualitative study that had as a guiding theoretical referential the Symbolic Interactionism and as a methodological referential the Grounded Theory. The participants of this study were women who had post-partum depression and their families, recruited through public hospitals and basic health units in the municipality of Cuiabá-MT. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with the woman and family. Results: The theoretical model 'Oscillating between the support and the need to maintain control' represents the perceptions and strategies present in the experience of the woman and her family aiming at adapting family life to the circumstances of life affected by depression. Conclusions: Control and support constitute the core symbolic elements of how the woman with post-partum depression and her family deal with the experience from the onset of the symptoms until the results of the diagnosis (AU)

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbal tea consumption, self-reported somatization, and alexithymia.

INTRODUCTION: Somatic presentations of distress are common cross-culturally, although perhaps more so in Asian cultures. Somatic presentations of distress may be associated with alexithymia, a difficulty in experiencing and expressing emotions. Although the constructs of somatization and alexithymia have been examined in depth both within and across cultures, there is minimal information on culture-specific behaviors utilized to cope with stress in individuals who tend to somaticize distress or are alexithymic. The current report investigates the association between somatization and alexithymia, and a culture-specific behavior of traditional Chinese medicinal herbal tea consumption, in a nonclinical, young adult sample. METHODS: A sample of 222 undergraduate university students of Chinese ethnicity completed self-report measures of somatization and the related construct of somatosensory amplification, alexithymia, and attitude toward the consumption of herbal tea possessing traditional Chinese medicinal value. RESULTS: After controlling for gender, alexithymia was significantly correlated with somatization (r[220] = 0.29, P < 0.05) and somatosensory amplification (r[220] = 0.19, P < 0.05). Attitudes toward herbal tea consumption were significantly correlated with somatosensory amplification (r[220] = 0.16, P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: The connection between alexithymia and somatization was confirmed in the current report in a nonclinical sample. A culture-specific behavior (consumption of traditional Chinese medicinal herbal tea) was significantly associated with somatosensory amplification. Potential etiologies and implications of the current findings are discussed.

What is misophonia and how can we treat it?

Selective sound sensitivity syndrome or misophonia is a chronic condition characterized by unpleasant emotional experiences and autonomic arousal in response to specific sounds. Over the last few years there have been a few reports detailing the clinical features associated with this condition. These focused reports raise interesting questions about the nosological status of this potentially disabling clinical entity.

[Impact of physical activity level on alexithymia and coping strategies in an over-40 multiple sclerosis population: a pilot study]. / Impact du niveau d'activité physique sur l'alexithymie et le coping dans une population de plus de 40ans atteinte de sclérose en plaques: une étude pilote.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of physical activity on alexithymia and coping strategies among people with multiple sclerosis aged over 40. The hypotheses were that physical activity should have a protective effect on alexithymia, and more particularly, on "emotional identification" and could influence coping strategies because it can be considered as a distractive coping strategy. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients aged 40 years or older were asked to complete a form including an identification sheet and standardized questionnaires: the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (version B), the Coping with Health Injuries and Problem Questionnaire, the Fatigue Impact Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: The participants with a high or moderate level of physical activity used "information research" as a coping strategy better than those who had a lower level of physical activity. They also analyzed their emotions better. The results revealed an association between these variables and anxiety, depression and fatigue. DISCUSSION: This study provides insight for future research about the impact of physical activity on multiple sclerosis.

Specific music therapy techniques in the treatment of primary headache disorders in adolescents: a randomized attention-placebo-controlled trial.

UNLABELLED: Migraine and tension-type headache have a high prevalence in children and adolescents. In addition to common pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, music therapy has been shown to be efficient in the prophylaxis of pediatric migraine. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of specific music therapy techniques in the treatment of adolescents with primary headache (tension-type headache and migraine). A prospective, randomized, attention-placebo-controlled parallel group trial was conducted. Following an 8-week baseline, patients were randomized to either music therapy (n = 40) or a rhythm pedagogic program (n = 38) designed as an "attention placebo" over 6 sessions within 8 weeks. Reduction of both headache frequency and intensity after treatment (8-week postline) as well as 6 months after treatment were taken as the efficacy variables. Treatments were delivered in equal dose and frequency by the same group of therapists. Data analysis of subjects completing the protocol showed that neither treatment was superior to the other at any point of measurement (posttreatment and follow-up). Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no impact of drop-out on these results. Both groups showed a moderate mean reduction of headache frequency posttreatment of about 20%, but only small numbers of responders (50% frequency reduction). Follow-up data showed no significant deteriorations or improvements. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents a randomized placebo-controlled trial on music therapy in the treatment of adolescents with frequent primary headache. Music therapy is not superior to an attention placebo within this study. These results draw attention to the need of providing adequate controls within therapeutic trials in the treatment of pain.

Neuroanatomic pathways associated with poststroke affective and apathetic depression.

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to localize lesions in poststroke depression patients using magnetic resonance imaging, based on the statistical parametric maps image analysis technique that can be used to combine image data from multiple participants and correlate these images with other data sets. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging acquisitions were obtained from 149 poststroke patients, who were assessed for affective and apathetic symptoms using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Apathy Scale, respectively. We created a statistical parametric map that displayed an association between lesion location and affective and apathetic symptoms. RESULTS: Among the patients with higher depressive scores, the lesion overlap centered on the brainstem, left basal ganglia, and left frontal cortex. Among the patients with higher apathy scores, the lesion overlap centered on the brainstem and bilateral striatum. The overlap lesion for both affective and apathetic depression centered mainly on the brainstem; however, the two types of depression often did not overlap. CONCLUSIONS: Two core symptoms that can occur after stroke, affective and apathetic symptoms, appear to be associated with different monoaminergic neuroanatomic pathways (serotonergic and dopaminergic).

Effects of anger awareness and expression training versus relaxation training on headaches: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stress contributes to headaches, and effective interventions for headaches routinely include relaxation training (RT) to directly reduce negative emotions and arousal. Yet, suppressing negative emotions, particularly anger, appears to augment pain, and experimental studies suggest that expressing anger may reduce pain. Therefore, we developed and tested anger awareness and expression training (AAET) on people with headaches. METHODS: Young adults with headaches (N = 147) were randomized to AAET, RT, or a wait-list control. We assessed affect during sessions, and process and outcome variables at baseline and 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: On process measures, both interventions increased self-efficacy to manage headaches, but only AAET reduced alexithymia and increased emotional processing and assertiveness. Yet, both interventions were equally effective at improving headache outcomes relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing anger awareness and expression may improve chronic headaches, although not more than RT. Researchers should study which patients are most likely to benefit from an emotional expression or emotional reduction approach to chronic pain.

Effect of therapeutic massage on insomnia and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION: Physiological and psychological alterations in the climacteric period frequently influence women's quality of life. Hot flushes, nocturia, mood alterations, respiratory disturbances, insomnia and restless leg syndrome all affect sleep, and the altered hormonal state in this period impacts the aging process. As hormonal therapy is not indicated in some cases, the search for complementary therapies, such as massage therapy, to improve insomnia in the climacteric period is increasing. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of therapeutic massage on insomnia and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Forty-four volunteers were randomly distributed into three groups: therapeutic massage (TM), passive movement (PM) and control (CTL). The women received 32 therapeutic massage sessions and passive movement twice a week. Questionnaires were given in the pre-trial and the 16th and 32nd sessions. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Menopause Quality of Life questionnaire (MENQOL), Kupperman Menopausal Index and Lipp Symptoms of Stress Inventory were assessed. In addition, the women underwent polysomnography at baseline and post-treatment. Statistical analyses were calculated using Friedman and Wilcoxon non-parametric tests. The level of significance was fixed at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: There was an improvement in ISI in the TM group (p = 0.000) and in the PM group (p = 0.001). A decrease in the BDI occurred in the TM group (p = 0.004), and the MENQOL improved in the TM group (p = 0.015). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in polysomnography parameters in the TM group, with only an increase in minimal saturation (p = 0.053). CONCLUSION: The TM group exhibited improved subjective data considering the changes in symptoms according to the ISI and the MENQOL and a decrease in symptoms according to the BDI.

Is alexithymia associated with specific mental disorders?

BACKGROUND: Alexithymia is characterized by restrictions in the perception, differentiation and regulation of affects. It is considered to be an important vulnerability factor for the development of mental disorders. Little is known, however, of whether alexithymia is associated with specific mental disorders. SAMPLING AND METHODS: Data from 1,461 patients of an outpatient clinic for psychosomatic medicine with various mental disorders (depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, somatoform disorders, eating disorders, and psychological and behavioral factors of physical illness) were collected between January 2007 and October 2009. The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was administered to study alexithymia. The diagnoses were made following ICD-10 guidelines. RESULTS: In our sample, the total prevalence of alexithymia (TAS-20 ≥ 61) was 21.36%. The percentage of alexithymic patients was significantly increased in the group of patients with depressive disorders (26.9%) as compared to other diagnostic groups. Using TAS-20 as a continuous measure, multiple hierarchical regression analyses revealed that higher TAS-20 total scores were significantly associated with depressive and anxiety disorders. However, after controlling for the level of depression, the association of anxiety disorders with alexithymia was no longer significant. With regard to TAS-20 subscales, 'difficulty describing feelings' (subscale 2) was also significantly related to depressive disorders. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, the prevalence of alexithymia is relatively high in patients with mental disorders. The increased prevalence of highly alexithymic subjects suggests that alexithymia is associated with a higher vulnerability to mental illness. The prevalence of alexithymia was especially increased for depressive disorders. Thus, further evidence supporting the concept of 'alexithymic depression' was provided. From a therapeutic perspective, treatments should be developed that take the specific needs of highly alexithymic patients into account.

A feasibility study of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for emotional dysfunction following psychosis.

The experience of psychosis can lead to depression, anxiety and fear. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) facilitates individuals to accept difficult mental experiences and behave in ways that are consistent with personally held values. This study was a single (rater) blind pilot randomised controlled trial of ACT for emotional dysfunction following psychosis. Twenty-seven participants with psychosis were randomised to either: ten sessions of ACT plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills and Working Alliance Inventory were used. Individuals were assessed at baseline and 3 months post-baseline. The individuals randomised to receive ACT found the intervention acceptable. A significantly greater proportion of the ACT group changed from being depressed at time of entry into the study to not being depressed at follow-up. The ACT group showed a significantly greater increase in mindfulness skills and reduction in negative symptoms. Results indicated that individuals randomised to ACT had significantly fewer crisis contacts over the study. Changes in mindfulness skills correlated positively with changes in depression. ACT appears to offer promise in reducing negative symptoms, depression and crisis contacts in psychosis.

Comparison of different strategies to decrease negative affect and increase positive affect in women with borderline personality disorder.

BACKGROUND: In this study we compared the effect of different emotion regulation strategies on positive and negative emotions in patients with borderline personality disorder. METHODS: Emotion regulation strategies were a distracting task, individual positive memory imagery, individual soothing imagery, and a neutral comparison condition. During two separate sessions, 17 participants watched either neutral or negative movie segments before using these strategies. RESULTS: All three strategies influenced emotions into a favorable direction as compared to the neutral comparison condition. The positive memory image increased positive emotions significantly stronger than counting colors and distracting. DISCUSSION: Different strategies seem to have similar effects in decreasing negative emotions. Positive emotions may be affected in particular by positive and soothing imagery techniques.

Anger and alexithymic characteristics of the patients diagnosed with insomnia: a control group study.

The research was designed with a descriptive purpose to compare the alexithymic characteristics, trait anger and anger expression styles of those who are diagnosed with insomnia with those who are not. It was conducted with 96 patients who applied to Department of Sleep Disorders and were diagnosed with insomnia and 96 volunteers were not diagnosed with any psychiatric diagnosis and had not any sleep disorders in two Medical Faculty Hospitals in west of Turkey. Three types of forms were used to collect research data. The first form is the Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, the second one is The Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the third one is the Trait Anger-Anger Expression Scale. It was determined that the patients diagnosed with insomnia had displayed much more alexithymic characteristics than control group. Insomniac patients had higher level of anger and anger expression-in than the control group was found. In accordance with the findings, it is suggested that more comprehensive data should be obtained from the patients having sleeping problems and, that the nursing interventions on the patients' recognition, expression and anger management should be reflected on the nursing holistic care.

Long-term prostate cancer survivors with low socioeconomic status reported worse mental health-related quality of life in a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with health-related quality of life (HRQL) and health care use among long-term prostate cancer survivors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Through urologists in the Comprehensive Cancer Center South, all 5- to 10-year prostate cancer survivors known in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry without disease progression were invited to complete the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index, and the Dutch sexual activities module. Multivariate linear regression assessed the effect of SES (based on home value and household income) on HRQL and health care use. RESULTS: Five-hundred eighty-four patients (response rate 81%) were included. Survivors with a low SES exhibited lower mental SF-36 scores (6-16 points on a 0-100 scale), independent of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics (P < .05), and hardly any differences in physical SF-36 subscales, sexual function, and urinary and bowel function and bother. Presence of serious comorbidity had a stronger predictive value for HRQL than SES. Health care use did not seem to be associated with SES. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate cancer survivors with a low SES exhibited a worse mental but not physical HRQL than those with a higher SES. Long-term health outcomes of patients with low SES may be maximized by paying extra attention to comorbid conditions.

[Electroencephalography in children with ADHD started with neurofeedback therapy]. / Charakterystyka elektroencefalograficzna dzieci z ADHD kwalifikowanych do terapii neurofeedback.

BACKGROUND: ADHD is characterized by lack of attention and concentration, hyperactivity and impulsivity and occurrs in about 3-5% of school-age children. Analysis of EEG plays an important role in comprehending the character of disturbed brain processes. Nowadays significant predictive values of EEG in response to neurostimulation treatment are being looked for. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Visual analysis included results of standard EEG examination of 109 children who underwent neurofeedback treatment in the years 2007-2009. These children were at the age range from 6 to 17 years and boys were predominating (86/109). The groups with "pure" ADHD, ADHD with emotional disorders (26/25 children) and ADHD with tics/dyslexial behaviour disorders/epilepsy (17/14/14/13 children) were the most numerous. 11 parameters were used to characterize basal activity, features of eeg maturation, presence of epileptiform graphoelements, paroxysmality, lateralization and localization of pathological changes. Theta/beta ratio was calculated by computer as well. RESULTS: Theta/beta ratio did not allow to differentiate groups of patients. Increase of theta and alfa activity was observed in children with ADHD and tics when compared with children with "pure" ADHD. In children with ADHD and dyslexia delta and theta activity in occipital regions was increased as well as theta and alfa activity and their amplitudes in the left fronto-temporo-parietal region (region of speech center). In children with ADHD and behaviour disorders paroxysmal localized changes with slow and sharp waves in the temporo-centroparietal regions occurred more often. In the group with ADHD and emotional disorders higher share of fast beta activity in the centro-middle temporal regions with right hemisphere predominance was revealed, probably associated with higher level of agitation and anxiety. Additionally high percentage of epileptiform grapho-elements was observed in all groups (28-50%). CONCLUSIONS: (1) Visual analysis of EEG recordings enables characterization of type and localization of changes in bioelectrical activity in children with ADHD syndrome. (2) This analysis reveals presence of differences in occurrence of some EEG parameters in the groups of children with ADHD and associated other disorders. (3) ADHD diagnostics is indicated especially among children with emotional disorders. (4) Bioelectric characteristic provides basement for elaboration of individual neurofeedback therapy protocol.