EEG Beta Spectrum Changes in MCI Patients During High-recall Movie-watching

178 

Abstract Submission 

Hua Ren¹, Yulin He², Yuxi Zhou², Ao Xie², Wei Jian¹, Ziqi Wang¹, Jianfu Li², Tiejun Liu², Li Dong*²

¹The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, Chengdu, China, ²University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China

Hua Ren  
The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation
Chengdu, China

Yulin He  
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China

Yuxi Zhou  
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China

Ao Xie  
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China

Wei Jian  
The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation
Chengdu, China

Ziqi Wang  
The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation
Chengdu, China

Jianfu Li  
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China

Tiejun Liu  
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China

Li Dong*  
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a quantified electrophysiological technology which has good sensitivity in judging cognitive function and can reflect the cognitive status of the elderly (Abazid, et al., 2022). Previous resting-state studies reported a decreased alpha and beta band functional connectivity in Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and the memory load-related modulation of global functional connectivity will be less prominent since their reduced available cognitive capacity (Fodor, et al., 2021). However, little is known about how cognitive impairment disease such MCI affects the brain memory functions during high-recall movie-watching which may allow human perception and cognition to be studied in more complex and more real-life-like situations (Espenhahn, et al., 2020; Finn and Bandettini, 2021; Wang, et al., 2023). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences of EEG spectral changes in MCI and normal controls (NC) during high -recall movie-watching and to explore potential biomarkers that distinguish MCI from normal controls.

We recorded the EEG of 41 normal controls individuals and 31 patients with MCI using a 62-channel Brain Product System when they were watching film clips which consisted of the low recall movie for 5 minutes and the high recall movie for 5 minutes. Age, gender and education level were carefully matched across the two groups. The high or low recall of the movie was defined by assessing recall with a pre-experimental measure. Preprocessing of raw EEG data was done using the WeBrain platform(Dong L, et al.,2021) (http://webrain.uestc.edu.cn). A band-pass filter at 1-40 Hz was applied to identify and remove segments of EEG contaminating excessive noise. Next, data were inspected for artifacts automatically and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) was carried out in order to remove eye blinks and muscle movements. And then, bad channels were interpolated by using reference electrode standardization interpolation technique (RESIT) and all channels were re-referenced to REST. The relative power indices were calculated by time–frequency analysis with fast-Fourier transform (FFT), and each analysis was performed separately in typical EEG frequency bands (delta: 1-4 Hz, theta: 4-8 Hz, alpha1: 8-10.5 Hz, alpha2 10.5-12.5 beta1: 12.5 -18.5 Hz, beta2: 18.5-21Hz, gamma1: 30-40 Hz). At last, two-way mixed (2 groups×2 conditions) analysis of variance (ANOVA), and a post-hoc t-test were used to investigate potential changes of the interaction factor. Pearson correlations between power indices and neuropsychological measures were also calculated across all subjects.

In the present study, significant difference of EEG spectrum changes between MCI and NC during the high and low recall movie-watching states were found (F> 4.05, p < 0.05). In beta1 (12.5 -18.5 Hz) and beta2 (18.5-21 Hz) rhythm, decreased relative beta power indices were found in frontal and parietal regions (p<0.05, FDR adjusted) under recall state in MCI group (Fig. 1A). As shown in Fig. 1B, the differences of EEG beta spectrum between high and low recall movie watching conditions were significant correlated with neuropsychological measures including Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (r=0.2870, p=0.0145) and Animal Fluency Test (AFT) (r=0.2556, p=0.0302).

These findings indicated that functional changes of EEG beta spectrum during recall background may account for the potential cognitive impairment. These results have implications for our basic understanding of state-dependent roles in relationship between EEG spectral changes and cognition, and for the future efforts aimed at the early identification and intervention of cognitive impairment.

Neurodegenerative/ Late Life (eg. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s) ¹

Long-Term Memory (Episodic and Semantic) ²

Aging

Cognition

Electroencephaolography (EEG)