Background Rhythm Frequency and Theta Power of Quantitative EEG Analysis Predictive Biomarkers for Cognitive Impairment Post–Cerebral Infarcts

In clinical settings, cerebral infarct is a common disease of older adults, which usually increases the risk of cognitive impairment. This study aims to assess the quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) as a predictive biomarker for the development of cognitive impairment, post–cerebral infarcts, in subjects from the Department of Neurology. They underwent biennial EEG recording. Cerebral infarct subjects, with follow-up cognitive evaluation, were analyzed for qEEG measures of background rhythm frequency (BRF) and relative δ, θ, α, and β band power. The relationship between cognitive impairment and qEEG, and other possible predictors, was assessed by Cox regression. The results showed that the risk hazard of developing cognitive impairment was 14 times higher for those with low BRF than for those with high BRF (P < .001). Hazard ratio (HR) was also significant for more than median θ band power (HR = 5, P = .002) compared with less than median θ band power. The HRs for δ, α, and β bands were equal to t...