Quantitative electroencephalographic correlates of cognitive decline in normal elderly subjects
P. C. Williamson, H. Merskey, S. Morrison, K. Rabheru, H. Fox, K. Wands, C. Wong and V. Hachinski
London Psychiatric Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
We obtained a topographic computer analysis of the electroencephalogram in
53 normal elderly subjects. Normal aging was not associated with an
increase in slow (delta) activity. However, cognitive performance
correlated positively with fast (beta) activity particularly in frontal
leads, even after controlling for age, education, occupation, and
medication. Five subjects who showed early signs of cognitive decline, had
all a marked reduction in beta activity suggesting that this may be an
early indication of intellectual loss.