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.

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