Mild cognitive impairment and event-related potentials in patients with cerebral atrophy and leukoaraiosis.
OBJECTIVE
The influence of cerebral atrophy and leukoaraiosis (LA) on the degree and profile of cognitive impairment remains unclear.


METHODS
The aim of the study was to assess neuropsychological features of cognitive performance and parameters of event-related potentials (ERP) in subjects with generalised cerebral atrophy and LA.


METHODS
Department of Neurology, University of Medicine.


METHODS
Forty-two patients with LA and/or cerebral atrophy and twenty controls.


RESULTS
Neuropsychological testing (NT) included Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and Trail Making Test (TMT). Auditory ERPs were performed and parameters of the N2 and P3 components were compared in the patients and controls. Relationships were analysed between radiological indices of atrophy and LA, and NT and ERP results. Results of NT suggested generalised mild cognitive impairment in all the patients. P3 and N2 latencies were longer in the patients than in controls, especially in the LA subgroup. Correlations were found for indices of atrophy, AVLT and ERP parameters. There was a predominant influence of age upon ERP parameters and radiological indices.


CONCLUSIONS
Cerebral atrophy and LA result in deficits in memory and attention. NT and ERP may be used as complementary methods in the assessment of cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral atrophy and LA.
Podemski
Ryszard
R
Department of Neurology, University of Medicine in Wroclaw, Borowska 213, 50-556, Wroclaw, Poland.
Pokryszko-Dragan
Anna
A
Zagrajek
Mieszko
M
Słotwiński
Krzysztof
K
Bilińska
Małgorzata
M
Sasiadek
Marek
M
Filarski
Jacek
J
Mazur
Katarzyna
K
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed