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Beta activity in aging and dementia

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Summary

Considerable variation remains in the reported effects of disease, age and gender on high frequency electroencephalographic activity. We examined the topographic differences in relative and absolute ß power in the 14–54 Hz range in 49 subjects with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), 25 subjects with multi-infarct dementia (MID), and 62 normal control subjects (CON). Associations of these spectral parameters with age, gender and cognitive status were assessed. Normal control subjects showed modest positive correlations in frontal, central and parietal regions across the age range of 24–90 years but not across a narrower 60–90 year range. Women, particularly women over 60 years of age, showed increased relative and absolute ß power compared to men. Subjects with dementia showed global decreases particularly in relative power. Decreases were most prominent in central and parietal regions for DAT subjects, with MID subjects additionally showing prominent frontal decreases. DAT and MID subjects differed in their correlations of power with age, Folstein Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and gender across frontal, central, parietal and temporal regions. Differences in the regional attenuation of absolute and relative ß power within specific high frequency bands may reflect the disparate neuropathologic processes of DAT and MID, as well as the extent of brain dysfunction and the effects of gender.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Daniel P. Holschneider

  2. Department of Psychiatry, West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Daniel P. Holschneider

  3. Quantitative EEG Laboratory, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, 760 Westwood Plaza, 90024, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Daniel P. Holschneider & Andrew F. Leuchter

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  1. Daniel P. Holschneider
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  2. Andrew F. Leuchter
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This work was supported by Research Grant MH40705 and Geriatric Mental Health Academic Award MH 00665 from the NIMH (Dr. Leuchter) and fellowships for Dr. Holschneider from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and the American Geriatrics Society, as well as the Veterans Health Administration. We would like to thank Donald O. Walters, Ph.D. for his helpful comments regarding this manuscript, Michelle Abrams, R.N. for assisting in compiling clinical information on these subjects, Suzanne Hodkgin, R.EEG T., Bonnie Delaney, R.EEG T., and Toni Saunders for their conscientious performance of the EEGs, as well as Jennifer Coxson for manuscript preparation.

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Holschneider, D.P., Leuchter, A.F. Beta activity in aging and dementia. Brain Topogr 8, 169–180 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01199780

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