Delirium: a subcortical phenomenon?
Abstract
Evoked potentials of 23 patients with chronic liver disease and delirium were compared with those of matched controls without delirium. Delirious subjects had significantly worse scores on the Mini-Mental State Exam and Trail Making Tests. Mean peak activity from computerized spectral analysis of the EEG was lower in delirious subjects than in nondelirious subjects (7.5 +/- 3.8 cycles per second (cps) and 9.5 +/- 3.2 cps, respectively). Mean auditory brainstem evoked potentials were abnormal in both groups, with delirious subjects showing a bimodal distribution of latency values and a greater proportion of abnormal values. Somatosensory evoked potentials were abnormal for delirious patients and normal for controls, and the differences were significant. The data suggest that the underlying pathophysiology of delirium may lie, at least in part, at the subcortical level.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
