Can a Novel High-Density EEG Approach Disentangle the Differences of Visual Event Related Potential (N170), Elicited by Negative Facial Stimuli, in People with Subjective Cognitive Impairment?

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lazarou, Ioulietta^{a; b; *} | Adam, Katerina^a | Georgiadis, Kostas^{a; e} | Tsolaki, Anthoula^{a; c} | Nikolopoulos, Spiros^a | (Yiannis) Kompatsiaris, Ioannis^a | Tsolaki, Magda^{a; b; d}

Affiliations: [a] Information Technologies Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece | [b] 1st Department of Neurology, G.H. “AHEPA”, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece | [c] Laboratory of Medical Physic, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece | [d] Greek Alzheimer’s Association and Related Disorders (GAADRD), Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece | [e] Informatics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Ioulietta Lazarou, Psychologist- Clinical Research Associate, Building A – Office 0.7, Information Technologies Institute (ITI), Centre of Research & Technology – Hellas (CERTH), 6th km Charilaou – Thermi Road, P.O. Box 6036; 57001 Thermi- Thessaloniki, Greece. Tel.: +30 2311 257 739; Fax: +30 2310 474 128; E-mail: iouliettalaz@iti.gr.

Abstract: Background:Studies on subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) and neural activation report controversial results. Objective:To evaluate the ability to disentangle the differences of visual N170 ERP, generated by facial stimuli (Anger & Fear) as well as the cognitive deterioration of SCI, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared to healthy controls (HC). Method:57 people took part in this study. Images corresponding to facial stimuli of “Anger” and “Fear” were presented to 12 HC, 14 SCI, 17 MCI and 14 AD participants. EEG data were recorded by using a HD-EEG HydroCel with 256 channels. Results:Results showed that the amplitude of N170 can contribute in distinguishing the SCI group, since statistically significant differences were observed with the HC (p < 0.05) and the MCI group from HC (p < 0.001), as well as AD from HC (p = 0.05) during the processing of facial stimuli. Noticeable differences were also observed in the topographic distribution of the N170 amplitude, while localization analysis by using sLORETA images confirmed the activation of superior, middle-temporal, and frontal lobe brain regions. Finally, in the case of “Fear”, SCI and HC demonstrated increased activation in the orbital and inferior frontal gyrus, respectively, MCI in the inferior temporal gyrus, and AD in the lingual gyrus. Conclusion:These preliminary findings suggest that the amplitude of N170 elicited after negative facial stimuli could be modulated by the decline related to pathological cognitive aging and can contribute in distinguishing HC from SCI, MCI, and AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, emotions, event related potentials, HD-EEG, mild cognitive impairment, N170, sLORETA, subjective cognitive impairment

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180223

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 65, no. 2, pp. 543-575, 2018