Aging and Degenerative Disorders

Abstract

Cerebral aging is associated with characteristic changes of main EEG patterns recorded during wakefulness and sleep. They include a slowing of posterior dominant rhythm, the reduction of beta activity, and the appearance of theta-delta activities particularly over left and temporal regions. With the exception of frontotemporal dementia, there is usually a good correlation between the degree of cognitive impairment in dementia syndromes and the EEG changes. In multi-infarct dementia, the presence of focal and/or epileptiform discharges depends on the location and size of infarcts. In Parkinson’s disease the EEG changes are usually nonspecific.