Quantitative EEG mapping and PET in Alzheimer's disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Neurology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline.
• Assessing the severity of AD is crucial for patient management and therapeutic development.
• Positiron emission tomography (PET) measures regional glucose metabolism, a known indicator of AD pathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of quantitative topographical electroencephalography (EEG) with regional glucose metabolism measured by PET in patients with probable AD.
• To investigate whether EEG measures can accurately assess the severity of AD.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative analysis of topographical EEG data was performed in 42 patients with probable AD and 15 age-matched controls.
• Regional glucose metabolism was measured using PET scans in the same participants.
• EEG measures (global and regional relative alpha, theta, and delta power) and PET data were compared.
• Correlation analysis was conducted between EEG/PET measures and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) for AD severity.

Main Results:

• While PET showed regionally specific metabolic disturbances, EEG revealed more global alterations in relative alpha, theta, and delta power.
• Relative theta power correctly classified 86% of AD patients versus controls, closely matching the 87% accuracy of temporo-parietal glucose metabolism by PET.
• Relative theta power and temporo-parietal glucose metabolism were significantly correlated with AD severity (GDS).

Conclusions:

• Quantitative topographical EEG measures, particularly relative theta power, demonstrate high accuracy in differentiating AD patients from controls.
• EEG offers a diagnostic and prognostic accuracy comparable to PET metabolic imaging for AD assessment.
• EEG represents a potentially valuable, non-invasive tool for evaluating AD severity.