Electroencephalographic study of schoolchildren with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

This study investigated the possible pathologic electroencephalographic (EEG) findings in scoliotic schoolchildren and their correlation to the degree and location of scoliosis. Sixty-seven scoliotic, healthy schoolchildren were investigated and 42 nonscoliotic, healthy schoolchildren served as controls. In the group of scoliotics the percentage of pathologic EEGs was higher than that of the control group (33% to 14%) P less than 0.05, being much higher in the EEGs taken after activation (57% to 22%) P less than 0.001. In the small curves, the percentage of pathologic EEGs was found to be higher only after activation in comparison with the percentage found in bigger curves, but without statistical significance. In lumbar, thoracolumbar, and double curves, focal EEG changes predominated. In contrast, in thoracic curves there was a higher incidence of bilaterally synchronous discharges.