The prevalence of electroencephalographic abnormalities and usefulness of electroencephalography in psychiatry

Abstract

Clinical electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive, low cost, neurodiagnostic technique widely available in general and psychiatric hospitals in South Africa. Psychiatric patients are regularly referred for EEG's. The major indication for EEG in psychiatric practice is to rule out an organic cause of mental illness. Organic disease can closely mimic functional psychiatric illness. This has major implications in developing countries such as South Africa where the psychiatric effects of physical disease are particularly widespread. Organic brain syndromes often arise from potentially treatable causes.