EEG alpha band synchrony predicts cognitive and motor performance in patients with ischemic stroke.
Functional brain networks are known to be affected by focal brain lesions. However, the clinical relevance of these changes remains unclear. This study assesses resting-state functional connectivity (FC) with electroencephalography (EEG) and relates observed topography of FC to cognitive and motor deficits in patients three months after ischemic stroke. Twenty patients (mean age 61.3 years, range 37-80, 9 females) and nineteen age-matched healthy participants (mean age 66.7 years, range 36-88, 13 females) underwent a ten-minute EEG-resting state examination. The neural oscillations at each grey matter voxel were reconstructed using an adaptive spatial filter and imaginary component of coherence (IC) was calculated as an index of FC. Maps representing mean connectivity value at each voxel were correlated with the clinical data. Compared to healthy controls, alpha band IC of stroke patients was locally reduced in brain regions critical to observed behavioral deficits. A voxel-wise Pearson correlation of clinical performances with FC yielded maps of the neural structures implicated in motor, language, and executive function. This correlation was again specific to alpha band coherence. Ischemic lesions decrease the synchrony of alpha band oscillations between affected brain regions and the rest of the brain. This decrease is linearly related to cognitive and motor deficits observed in the patients.
Division of Neurorehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Sviatlana.Dubovik@hcuge.ch
Sviatlana
S
Dubovik
Radek
R
Ptak
Tatiana
T
Aboulafia
Cécile
C
Magnin
Nicole
N
Gillabert
Lara
L
Allet
Jean-Michel
JM
Pignat
Armin
A
Schnider
Adrian G
AG
Guggisberg
D000368:Aged; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D058407:Electroencephalography Phase Synchronization; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology