Movement-related electroencephalographic reactivity in Alzheimer disease

Event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) of alpha and beta electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms was investigated in normal subjects and mild Alzheimer Disease patients (AD), performing unilateral right finger movements (about 10 s intermovement interval). Electroencephalographic data were sampled based on 10-20 system electrode montage. Surface Laplacian estimate of the potential reduced the head-volume conductor effects and annulled electrode reference variations. Results showed that EEG reactivity (i.e., ERD/ERS) of modeled contralateral rolandic cortex and motor performance were preserved in mild to moderate AD. In contrast, modeled activity (i.e., ERD/ERS) of frontolateral, centromedial, and ipsilateral rolandic areas was abnormal. Furthermore, interrelatedness of cortical response and movement timing was abnormal in AD patients. These results would support the working hypothesis that mild to moderate AD is a global brain network disease, including processing of sensorimotor information (despite no overt movement disorder). Further investigations will ascertain the clinical relevance of these results. (C) 2000 Academic Press.