EEG Microstate Imbalance in Anti-LGI1 Encephalitis: A Correlation With Inflammation and Cognitive Dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Neuroimmunology

Background:

• Anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (anti-LGI1) encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder affecting the brain.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) microstates offer insights into large-scale brain network dynamics.
• The relationship between EEG microstate changes, inflammation, and cognitive deficits in anti-LGI1 encephalitis remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in EEG microstates in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis.
• To explore the correlation between these microstate changes, inflammatory markers, and cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state EEG recordings from 30 anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients and 30 healthy controls.
• Microstate analysis and functional connectivity assessment using EEGLAB and sLORETA.
• Correlation analyses with inflammatory markers (NLR, SII, SIRI, dNLR) and cognitive scores (MMSE).

Main Results:

• Patients showed prolonged microstate A, B, C durations, reduced D occurrence, and altered C-to-A transitions.
• Microstate A activity decreased in specific brain regions; functional connectivity showed altered slow-wave and fast-wave patterns.
• Microstate alterations correlated significantly with inflammatory indices and inversely with cognitive function (MMSE scores).

Conclusions:

• EEG microstate analysis reveals significant alterations in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis.
• The observed microstate imbalances, particularly the AD/BC ratio, are associated with systemic inflammation.
• These EEG changes correlate with cognitive impairments, suggesting microstates as potential biomarkers for disease severity and progression.