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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: August 30, 2011
Describing brain activity of persons with AD and depressive symptoms
1University of Tennessee-Knoxville College of Nursing, Knoxville, TN.
Abstract:
The purpose of this retrospective pilot study was to characterize depression of AD using electrophysiological changes in the brain activity of persons with AD and depressive symptoms. Participants had a mean age of 70.12±12.68. Participants manifested an increase in absolute/relative theta activity (p=.000) over entire brain when compared to normative population-based database. Electrophysiological changes did not differ by age or gender except for increased absolute theta activity in the right lateral frontal areas (t-test=-2.31 to -2.39, p=.04) in females. An increased theta activity suggests that depressive symptoms may be part of AD symptomatology, not a co-morbid feature.
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