Computerized EEG correlates of depression and antidepressant treatment

Quantitative EEG was used to examine: differences between non-medicated depressives and normal controls; chronic effects of antidepressant drug treatment. Spectral analysis of cortical EEG activity revealed: significant group differences in slow and fast wave activity and significant differences in hemispheric asymmetry; limited effects of antidepressants which were restricted to slow wave activity. Group differences are supportive of cortical disactivation of the right-hemisphere in depressive disorders and the limited drug-EEG effects in depressives argue for additional studies on multi-lead oriented pharmaco-EEG profiles in psychiatric populations.