Correlation of EEG Slowing with Cognitive Domains in Nondemented Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Background: Cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) are heterogeneous and can be classified into cognitive domains. Quantitative EEG is related to and predictive of cognitive status in PD. In this cross-sectional study, the relationship of cognitive domains and EEG slowing in PD patients without dementia is investigated. Methods: A total of 48 patients with idiopathic PD were neuropsychologically tested. Cognitive domain scores were calculated combining Z-scores of test variables. Slowing of EEG was measured with median EEG frequency. Linear regression was used for correlational analyses and to control for confounding factors. Results: EEG median frequency was significantly correlated to cognitive performance in most domains (episodic long-term memory, rho = 0.54; overall cognitive score, rho = 0.47; fluency, rho = 0.39; attention, rho = 0.37; executive function, rho = 0.34), but not to visuospatial functions and working memory. Conclusion: Global EEG slowing is a marker for overall cognitive impairment in PD and correlates with impairment in the domains attention, executive function, verbal fluency, and episodic long-term memory, but not with working memory and visuospatial functions. These disparate effects warrant further investigations. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel