Quantitative EEG findings in different stages of Alzheimer's disease

Although quantitative EEG (q-EEG) has been used in Alzheimer's disease (AD), q-EEG changes in AD are complex because of the progressive nature of this disease. The topographical spectral power and occipital peak frequency (OPF) were compared among elderly controls, patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and patients with four stages of AD. In AD patients, except those with a Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) score of 0.5, OPF was lower than that of elderly controls. Compared with elderly controls, the left anterior alpha spectral power was reduced in CDR 0.5; both posterior theta spectral powers were increased and all alpha spectral powers were reduced in CDR I; all alpha and beta spectral powers were reduced and theta spectral power was increased in CDR 2; and all alpha and beta spectral powers were reduced and all delta and theta spectral powers were increased in CDR 3. Patients with MCI exhibited a reduction in both centrotemporal, posterior delta and left anterior, centrotemporal theta fields. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was related to left OPF, right posterior delta and left anterior theta spectral power, in that order. This study suggests that q-EEG in MCI shows nonoverlapping features between controls and AD patients, and AD patients show dynamic changes as the disease progresses. Finally, the left OPF is the parameter most significantly correlated with MMSE score.