Brain functional imaging in senile psychopathology.
Quantified electroencephalogram (EEG) and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements are reliable and currently employed techniques in the functional exploration of the aging brain; they can be routinely employed, since discomfort to the patient is minimal. Topographical analysis of EEG and rCBF results is performed in our laboratory by a fully automated mapping system, which also enables statistical comparisons in real time. The goal of our study is to ascertain if there are systematic modifications in the topographic distribution of rCBF and EEG parameters in normal aging, dementia, cerebrovascular disease and in conditions of increased risk for cerebral pathology (e.g. hypertension). Dementias and cerebrovascular pathologies present characteristic brain functional abnormalities, which can be detected by comparing the patient data to an age-matched normal population by the appropriate statistical tests; therefore, the accurate selection of healthy aged controls appears as a crucial issue in order to improve the sensitivity of statistics.
Rosadini
G
G
Institute of Neurophysiopathology, University of Genoa, Italy.
Cogorno
P
P
Marenco
S
S
Nobili
F
F
Rodriguez
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003704:Dementia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged