Parietal resting-state EEG alpha source connectivity is associated with subcortical white matter lesions in HIV-positive people

Objective: Parietal resting-state electroencephalographic (rsEEG) alpha (8-10 Hz) source connectivity is abnormal in HIV-positive persons. Here we tested whether this abnormality may be associated with sub cortical white matter vascular lesions in the cerebral hemispheres.Methods: Clinical, rsEEG, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets in 38 HIV-positive persons and clinical and rsEEG datasets in 13 healthy controls were analyzed. Radiologists visually evaluated the sub cortical white matter hyperintensities from T2-weighted FLAIR MRIs (i.e., Fazekas scale). In parallel, neurophysiologists estimated the eLORETA rsEEG source lagged linear connectivity from parietal cortical regions of interest.Results: Compared to the HIV participants with no/negligible subcortical white matter hyperintensities, the HIV participants with mild/moderate subcortical white matter hyperintensities showed lower parietal interhemispheric rsEEG alpha lagged linear connectivity. This effect was also observed in HIV positive persons with unimpaired cognition. This rsEEG marker allowed good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.80) between the HIV-positive individuals with different amounts of subcortical white matter hyperintensities.Conclusions: The parietal rsEEG alpha source connectivity is associated with subcortical white matter vascular lesions in HIV-positive persons, even without neurocognitive disorders. Significance: Those MRI-rsEEG markers may be used to screen HIV-positive persons at risk of neurocognitive disorders.(c) 2023 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The abnormal connectivity of parietal resting-state electroencephalographic (rsEEG) alpha waves is associated with subcortical white matter vascular lesions in HIV-positive individuals, even without neurocognitive disorders. These rsEEG markers can be used to screen HIV-positive individuals at risk of neurocognitive disorders.