title: The relation of SMI and the VSEP in a risk sample for neurodegenerative disorders.
abstract: Vagus somatosensory evoked potentials (VSEP) have been shown to have higher latencies with aging, which are even more increased in patients with Alzheimer's disease and subjects with mild cognitive impairment compared to age-matched healthy controls. In this study, the association of VSEP with subjective memory impairment (SMI), a potential risk or prodromal marker for Alzheimer's disease, was examined. The association of VSEP latencies and SMI was studied in a healthy risk cohort, including 358 elderly subjects, who are in a longitudinal study of risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders. The results show increased VSEP latencies for peak P2 at Fz-F4 in subjects who report SMI and are worried about it as compared to subjects who report memory impairment, but are not concerned and subjects without complaints. The results support a potential role of VSEP for the detection of very early neurodegenerative processes which may precede Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tuebingen, Germany, hagen.katja@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Ann-Christine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ehlis
authors.forename: Florian B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Haeussinger
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beeretz
authors.forename: Gina V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Kromer
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heinzel
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maetzler
authors.forename: Gerhard W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Eschweiler
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Andreas J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fallgatter
authors.forename: Florian G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Metzger
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*