Anterior temporal focal abnormalities in EEG in normal aged subjects; correlations with psychopathological and CT brain scan findings.
Normal aged subjects (65-83 years) were examined by EEG and CT brain scan; also a Geriatric Mental Scale (GMS) and Neuropsychologic Assessment Battery were administered. Based on the EEG findings 2 subgroups could be distinguished: one with focal abnormalities in the left fronto-temporal region and one without these focal abnormalities. The focal delta subgroup proved to perform poorly on the Fluency Test, a simple quick bedside, but very sensitive, test for word association productivity. Also this subgroup showed more ventricular dilatation than the non-focal group. Therefore slight left-sided antero-temporal abnormalities in normal aged subjects are not irrelevant but an early (subclinical) sign of temporal lobe pathology as expressed in deterioration of language function.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed