CORRELATIONS OF TOPOGRAPHICAL EEG FEATURES WITH CLINICAL SEVERITY IN MILD AND MODERATE DEMENTIA OF ALZHEIMER-TYPE

Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and the Folstein Mini Menta l State examination (MMSE) were obtained from 31 patients affected by probable dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT). qEEG data were examined b oth by spectral analysis (Fast Fourier Transformation) and by single f requency band topographical centroid, and compared with those of 24 he althy subjects of the same age group. DAT patients were found to have higher absolute power in the slow (delta and theta) frequency bands. Q uantitative topographical assessment showed significantly more anterio rly located centers of gravity for the alpha and beta activity. Only a lpha anteriorization was correlated with the degree of cognitive impai rment as measured by the global deterioration scale and MMSE. It is co ncluded that quantitative topographical assessment was successful for the statistical handling of the EEG power maps, and to identify a pote ntial parameter for the functional staging of the disease.