Power Spectral Analysis of Resting EEG in Elderly Patients With Dementia of Alzheimer and Those With Major Depression in Comparison With Normal Healthy Control

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 26(3); 2008 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2008;26(3): 216-223.

알츠하이머 치매와 노년기 주요 우울장애 환자의정량화 뇌파 분석 -정상대조군을 통한 비교-

박종호, 이준석a 심종온a 이종명a

관동대학교 의과대학 명지병원 신경과학교실, 정신과학교실a

Power Spectral Analysis of Resting EEG in Elderly Patients With Dementia of Alzheimer and Those With Major Depression in Comparison With Normal Healthy Control

Jong-Ho Park

Department of Neurology and Psychiatrya, Kwandong University College of Medicine,Myongji Hospital, Goyang, Korea

Abstract

Background: Depression is one of the most frequent neuropsychiatric comorbidities of dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT). The aim of the present study was to compare the quantitative EEG changes in patients with DAT with those in old age depression (OAD).
Methods: We recruited 39 subjects (mean age=65.4±5.9, 30 women, 13 DAT, 13 OAD, and 13 healthy controls) and performed the absolute and relative power spectral analyses for delta, theta, alpha, and beta activities.
Results: The DAT group showed higher frequency of delta in all the topographic areas than the OAD and controls (p<0.05). Delta activity was more frequent in the DAT than OAD group in the bilateral central (C3, C4) and temporal areas (T3, T4) (p<0.05). Compared with the controls, the DAT group showed decreased alpha activity in the left central (C3) and temporal (T3) areas (p<0.05). Beta activity was increased in the OAD group (O1 and O2), compared with that in the other two groups (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Spectral analysis showed more prominent delta slowing in the DAT group, which is in line with more severe cognitive dysfunction in the DAT than the OAD group.KeyWords:Electroencephalography, Spectral analysis, Cognitive performance, Dementia of Alzheimer type, Old age depression