Although electroencephalography (EEG) was developed by the psychiatrist Hans Berger, it is today mostly used as a diagnostic tool in neurology. Even though it has been available for more than 70 years, the significance of the EEG changes found in psychiatric patients remains poorly understood. In the daily clinic it is not only used to differentiate psychiatric from neurological disorders, but it can also contribute to diagnosis and differential diagnosis of psychiatric syndromes and disorders. Through the development of affordable IT technology, electronic measuring devices, quantified EEG (qEEG) and various polygraphic approaches, it still holds scientific promises.

This book is envisioned as a practical guideline to assist psychiatrists in clinical decisions using EEG. It is an anthology but the editors are represented as authors or co-authors of all 12 chapters. As stated in the title, it covers standard visually interpreted EEG. However, some chapters also include information on qEEG (this reader hoped for a little more). The first chapter is a historical review of EEG in psychiatry. Chapters 2 and 3 provide a synopsis of the physiological basis of the EEG signal and its recording and analysis methodology. Chapters 3 and 4 offer brief reviews of normal and abnormal EEG patterns and waveforms. Chapter 6 reviews the role of EEG in the diagnostic work up in psychiatry with emphasis on non-convulsive status epilepticus, frontal lobe seizures and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. In chapter 7 entitled ‘EEG in childhood psychiatric disorders', the focus is on ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy. Chapter 8 describes EEG in psychosis, mood disorders and catatonia. Chapter 9 entitled ‘Standard EEG in personality and anxiety disorders' reviews EEG in aggression, impulse dyscontrol, antisocial personality disorder, epilepsy-related violence, panic attacks and borderline personality disorder. Chapter 10 covers EEG in delirium and dementia. In chapter 11, the effects of psychotropic drugs on EEG are reviewed. The final chapter 12 is devoted to a description of certification and training in EEG and clinical neurophysiology in the United States and in various European countries.

The book offers instructive figures and illustrations of EEG patterns. Take-home messages are highlighted in grey box tables, and case vignettes illustrate the text in each chapter, which also are well referenced. The material is clearly presented and the few errors do not overshadow the impression of a thoroughly edited text. The authors clearly show that the standard EEG has a definite role in the work up of psychiatric patients and they argue that the core curriculum of psychiatrists should include training in electrophysiology – at least covering the basic aspects described in this book. Indeed, EEG is in many clinics underused in the diagnostic work up, and this is not only due to lack of availability but also lack of education in the field. Whether such a curriculum is defined in your country or not the book is recommended to all psychiatrists and clinical psychologists working with diagnosis of patients. For psychiatric residents it is an easily accessible, handy yet sufficiently exhaustive introduction to EEG.

Martin B. Jørgensen ^1,2