Longitudinal EEG changes correlate with cognitive measure deterioration in Parkinson's disease

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Background QEEG could provide physiological biomarkers for changes over time in Parkinson's disease (PD) cognitive decline if they track with longitudinal neuropsychological performance. Objective Our aim was to correlate longitudinal changes in frequency domain quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) measures with change in neuropsychological performance testing in PD. Methods 71 PD subjects, not demented at baseline, were studied from the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders cohort. Baseline and follow-up digital EEG from PD subjects were analyzed for QEEG measures of background rhythm frequency and global relative power in delta (2.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), and beta (13-30 Hz) bands. Baseline and subsequent evaluation included Mini Mental Status Examination and five other neuropsychological tests that load on cognitive domains known to decline in PD. Pearson coefficient was used to assess correlations. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to assess the effect of variable combinations of QEEG and other measures, including age and PD duration. Results Changes in delta bandpower showed the highest and most consistent pattern of correlations with longitudinal changes in neuropsychological testing. The highest correlation was between delta bandpower increase and decline in the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (-0.59:p Conclusions 1) Longitudinal change in the QEEG frequency domain measure of delta bandpower correlated best with longitudinal neuropsychological performance change in PD; 2) These results constitute preliminary evidence that delta bandpower may be a suitable biomarker for evaluating PD cognitive deterioration longitudinally.

Key findings

• Results Changes in delta bandpower showed the highest and most consistent pattern of correlations with longitudinal changes in neuropsychological testing.
• The highest correlation was between delta bandpower increase and decline in the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (-0.59:p < 0.001).

Why it matters

This longitudinal study of 71 people with Parkinson's disease found that changes in delta bandpower on EEG correlated with longitudinal changes in neuropsychological testing. It is about a potential physiological biomarker and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.

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Study details

• Study designlongitudinal study
• Evidence strengthModerate

Read the original

• DOI: 10.3233/jpd-140480
• PubMed: 25420672
• Original source →
• Free full text: DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) →

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@article{caviness2015-25420672,
  author  = {Caviness, J. N. and Hentz, J. G. and Belden, C. M. and Shill, H. A. and Driver-Dunckley, E. D. and Sabbagh, M. N. and Powell, J. J. and Adler, C. H.},
  title   = {{Longitudinal EEG changes correlate with cognitive measure deterioration in Parkinson's disease}},
  journal = {Journal of Parkinson's disease},
  year    = {2015},
  doi     = {10.3233/jpd-140480},
  pmid    = {25420672},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jpd-140480}
}

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