EEG markers are associated to gray matter changes in thalamus and basal ganglia in subjects with mild cognitive impairment

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 489 - 496
• Main Authors: Moretti, D.V., Paternicò, D., Binetti, G., Zanetti, O., Frisoni, G.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2012; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Alzheimer's disease; Basal Ganglia - pathology; Basal Ganglia - physiopathology; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Dysfunction - pathology; Cognitive Dysfunction - physiopathology; Diagnostic markers; EEG; Electroencephalography; Female; Humans; Hypotheses; Male; MCI; Memory; MRI; Neural networks; Ratios; Studies; Thalamus - pathology; Thalamus - physiopathology; VBM; VBM; MCI; MRI; Diagnostic markers; EEG
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.11.086

Gray matter (GM) changes of thalamus and basal ganglia have been demonstrated to be involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, the increase of two EEG markers, alpha3/alpha2 and theta/gamma ratio, have been associated with, respectively, AD converter and non-AD converter subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To study the association of prognostic EEG markers with specific GM changes of thalamus and basal ganglia in subjects with MCI to identify different MCI populations. 74 adult subjects with mild cognitive impairment underwent EEG recording and high resolution 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The theta/gamma and alpha3/alpha2 ratio was computed for each subject. Three groups were obtained according to increasing tertile values of both alpha3/alpha2 and theta/gamma ratio. Gray matter density differences between groups were investigated using a voxel-based morphometry technique. Subjects with higher a3/a2 ratios when compared to subjects with lower and middle a3/a2 ratios showed minor atrophy in the ventral stream of basal ganglia (head of caudate nuclei and accumbens nuclei bilaterally) and of the pulvinar nuclei in the thalamus; subjects with higher t/g ratio showed minor atrophy in putamina nuclei bilaterally than subjects with middle ratio. The integrated analysis of EEG and morpho-structural markers could be useful in the comprehension of anatomo-physiological underpinning of the MCI entity. ► Association of EEG alpha3/alpha2 and theta/gamma ratio with changes in thalamus and basal ganglia in subjects with MCI. ► EEG markers-driven analysis. ► Increase of alpha3/alpha2 ratio ssociated with minor atrophy of caudate, accumbens and pulvinar nuclei. ► Increase of theta/gamma ratio associated with minor atrophy of putamina bilaterally.