EEG response to sine wave modulated light in XYY, XXY, and XY men

Ten XYY, 14 XXY, and 47 control XY men were located in a birth cohort of non-institutionalized, tall men. Their EEGs were recorded during stimulation with sine were modulated light; 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 Hz were the modulation frequencies. EEGs with and without stimulation were subjected to power spectral analysis. The frequency-specific EEG change due to visual stimulation (i.e. photic driving) was studied. The XYY subjects showed generally lower levels of driving than their XY controls. At stimulation frequencies of 10 and 20 Hz, the EEG driving in the XYY subjects were significantly smaller when measured in the same frequency bands (i.e. 10 and 20 Hz). In addition, stimulation at 10 Hz elicited a significantly smaller response at the third harmonic frequency (i.e. 30 Hz) in the XYY subjects. No consistent differences in EEG driving were detected between the XXY subjects and their XY controls, or between XXY and XYY subjects.