Subclinical white matter lesions and medial temporal lobe atrophy are associated with EEG slowing in a memory clinic cohort

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to describe the relationship between electroencephalographic (EEG) findings obtained by standardized visual analysis, subclinical white matter lesions (WML) and brain atrophy in a large memory clinic population.

Methods: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, n=58), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n=141), subjective cognitive impairment (SCI, n=194) had clinical, MRI based WML severity and regional atrophy assessments, and routine resting EEG recording. Background activity (BA) and episodic and continuous abnormalities were assessed visually in EEG.

Results: WML (p=0.006) and atrophy in medial temporal regions (MTA) (p=<0.001) were associated with slower BA in all diagnoses. WML were associated in SCI with total episodic EEG abnormalities (p=0.03).

Conclusions: EEG is associated with subclinical WML burden and cortical brain atrophy in a memory clinic population.

Significance: Even the standard visually assessed EEG can complement a memory clinic diagnostic workup.

Keywords: Cognitive impairment; Electroencephalography; Medial temporal atrophy; Visual analysis; White matter lesions.