Quantitative electroencephalography power and coherence in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment

In this study the best combination of quantitative electroencephalographic variables (qEEG) for the discrimination of groups with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment and healthy subjects was defined and related to neuropsychological performance. The study population included 18 patients with mild to moderate probable AD, 19 subjects with objective memory disturbance, 17 subjects with subjective memory complaints who did not have clinical evidence of memory disturbance, and 16 healthy controls. AD patients had significantly increased theta and decreased alpha relative power, mean frequency, and temporoparietal coherence. There was no significant difference in the mean frequency in the left temporal region between AD patients and subjects with objective memory disturbances. Temporoparietal coherence appeared as a discriminant variable together with alpha and theta relative power only between AD patients and controls giving 77.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Significant correlations between regional changes in qEEG variables and cognitive functions were found.