EVALUATION OF CEREBRAL FUNCTION AFTER CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY

Neuroimaging methods have failed to disclose correlation between degre e of cerebral atrophy and blood flow in carotid artery stenosis patien ts. Moreover, intellectual improvement after carotid endarterectomy do es not correlate fully with neuroimaging data in such patients. We per formed brain electrical activity mapping and psychological testing bef ore and 4 weeks after operation in 28 patients with symptomatic, high- grade, carotid stenosis. Postoperatively, electroencephalographic (EEG ) mean frequency and absolute theta power improved significantly (p < 0.01). Mean frequency increased > 1 Hz in most areas while power decre ased dramatically, mainly because of resolution of high-voltage foci i n 8 patients. Differences were conspicuous in both frontal lobes irres pective of the operated side, which suggests changes in perfusion affe cting the whole brain. This is a positive effect of endarterectomy. Mi ni-Mental test and Set Test for verbal fluency had a positive correlat ion with the qEEG changes. Quantitative EEG as a measure of cerebral f unction has disclosed discriminative improvement in the early postoper ative period. Our results support the thesis of improvement subsequent to endarterectomy.