Magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can detect microstructural alterations by means of fractional anisotropy (FA) in patients with dementia, also in relation to cognitive status. The present study aimed at investigating the possible relation among white matter damage in DTI, quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) spectral power, and cognitive status in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Forty-seven subjects (8 moderate AD, 18 mild AD, 12 MCI, and 9 healthy controls) underwent brain MR, neuropsychological evaluation, and resting EEG recording. A progressive increase of EEG delta and theta spectral power was observed from controls to patients, mainly in more anterior areas, with a parallel widespread decrease of beta power. Moreover, a progressive decrease of FA from controls to patients in frontal areas and in the corpus callosum (genu) was observed. Correlation analyses indicated convergence among EEG rhythms changes, DTI values, and cognitive status mainly over anterior areas. The decrease of FA values and EEG spectral power changes might represent markers of neurodegenerative dysfunction, possibly preceding macrostructural atrophy.
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; brain activity; dementia; diffusion tensor imaging; mild cognitive impairment.