title: Visual steady state in relation to age and cognitive function.
abstract: Neocortical gamma activity is crucial for sensory perception and cognition. This study examines the value of using non-task stimulation-induced EEG oscillations to predict cognitive status in a birth cohort of healthy Danish males (Metropolit) with varying cognitive ability. In particular, we examine the steady-state VEP power response (SSVEP-PR) in the alpha (8Hz) and gamma (36Hz) bands in 54 males (avg. age: 62.0 years) and compare these with 10 young healthy participants (avg. age 27.6 years). Furthermore, we correlate the individual alpha-to-gamma difference in relative visual-area power (ΔRV) with cognitive scores for the older adults. We find that ΔRV decrease with age by just over one standard deviation when comparing young with old participants (p<0.01). Furthermore, intelligence is significantly negatively correlated with ΔRV in the older adult cohort, even when processing speed, global cognition, executive function, memory, and education (p<0.05). In our preferred specification, an increase in ΔRV of one standard deviation is associated with a reduction in intelligence of 48% of a standard deviation (p<0.01). Finally, we conclude that the difference in cerebral rhythmic activity between the alpha and gamma bands is associated with age and cognitive status, and that ΔRV therefore provide a non-subjective clinical tool with which to examine cognitive status in old age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Nordre Ringvej 57, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5767-4653
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Nordre Ringvej 57, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dyhr Thomsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wiegand
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, København NV, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics and Population Studies & Training Center, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.|Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klemp
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Nordre Ringvej 57, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikolic
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Nordre Ringvej 57, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rask
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Nordre Ringvej 57, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauritzen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Nordre Ringvej 57, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Benedek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003718:Denmark; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012923:Social Class; D014785:Vision, Ocular