title: Electroencephalographic frontal asymmetry and depressive symptoms in the elderly.
abstract: Although neurophysiological changes of aging are well known, there is still much to learn about cortical asymmetry in older depressed subjects. This study aimed at assessing differences between depressed and normal elderly subjects on alpha asymmetry, and to observe the correlations of this measure with depressive symptoms and quality of life. Thirty-six subjects (14 normal and 22 depressed) were assessed by EEG, depression rating scales, and SF-36. Despite the fact that compared to healthy elderly, depressive elderly subjects showed relatively greater right frontal activity (F4F3) and relatively greater left parietal activity (P4P3); this difference was not significant. The relationship between depression and frontal asymmetry was better observed in healthy elderly, where relatively greater left frontal activity was associated with less depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Center for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. adeslandes@ufrj.br
authors.forename: Andréa C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Deslandes
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.forename: Fernando A M S
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Pompeu
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cagy
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Capitão
authors.forename: Heloisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Roberto A M
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Piedade
authors.forename: Jerson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laks