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Published on: August 30, 2011
Altered EEG microstate dynamics in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease
Haipeng Lian1, Yingjie Li1, Yunxia Li2
1School of Communication and Information Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, PR China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Shanghai, PR China.
Objective:
Resting-state EEG microstate is a promising neurophysiological tool to explore the temporal dynamics of cognitive activity. Till now, the microstate syntax is far from being fully understood in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aim to investigate the possible explanation for the alterations of transition probabilities in microstate syntax between different stages of cognitive impairment.
Methods:
The artefact-corrected resting-state EEG in patients with MCI (n = 46), AD (n = 43) and healthy controls (HC, n = 43) were used for microstate analysis. Four microstates were labeled A-D according to the study (Koenig et al., 2002).
Results:
Microstate duration, occurrence and coverage showed overall differences between HC, MCI and AD. Duration and coverage B increased significantly in AD compared with HC and MCI. Coverage C decreased significantly in AD compared with MCI. Microstate syntax had specialized single transitions in MCI and AD. Transitions between symmetrical (C and D) and asymmetrical (A and B) classes showed a decreased pattern. It was only in MCI that an increased transition from A to C was found and only in AD an increased transition from A to B was found. Besides, a negative spearman's correlation was found between the transition probability from A to B and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.
Conclusion:
Altered resting-state EEG microstates in particular specialized single transitions in microstate syntax were showed in MCI and AD.
Significance:
For the first time, we discovered which single transitions between pairs of microstates play an important role in microstate syntax in different stages of cognitive impairment.
Insights
Resting-state EEG microstate analysis reveals altered transition patterns in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specific microstate transitions are identified as key indicators of cognitive decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) microstates offer insights into cognitive dynamics.
- Microstate syntax, particularly transition probabilities, remains poorly understood in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in microstate syntax transition probabilities across different stages of cognitive impairment.
- To identify specific microstate transitions associated with MCI and AD progression.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed artefact-corrected resting-state EEG data from healthy controls (HC), MCI patients, and AD patients.
- Utilized microstate analysis to quantify duration, occurrence, coverage, and transition probabilities between microstates (A-D).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in microstate duration, occurrence, and coverage were observed between HC, MCI, and AD groups.
- Altered transition patterns, including decreased symmetrical (C-D) and asymmetrical (A-B) transitions, were found in MCI and AD.
- Specific increased transitions (A to C in MCI, A to B in AD) and a correlation between A-B transition probability and MMSE scores were identified.
Conclusions:
- Resting-state EEG microstate syntax exhibits significant alterations in MCI and AD.
- Specialized single transitions between microstates are crucial indicators of cognitive impairment stages.
