EEG microstates in epilepsy with and without cognitive dysfunction: Alteration in intrinsic brain activity

Objective: This study aims to investigate the difference between epilepsy comorbid with and without cognitive dysfunction.

Method: Participants were classified into patients with epilepsy comorbid cognitive dysfunction (PCCD) and patients with epilepsy without comorbid cognitive dysfunction (nPCCD). Microstate analysis was applied based on 20-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to detect the dynamic changes in the whole brain. The coverage, occurrence per second, duration, and transition probability were calculated.

Result: The occurrence per second and the coverage of microstate B in the PCCD group were higher than that of the nPCCD group. Coverage in microstate D was lower in the PCCD group than in the nPCCD group. In addition, the PCCD group has a higher probability of A to B and B to A transitions and a lower probability of A to D and D to A transitions.

Conclusion: Our research scrutinizes the disparities observed within EEG microstates among epilepsy patients both with and without comorbid cognitive dysfunction.

Significance: EEG microstate analysis offers a novel metric for assessing neuropsychiatric disorders and supplies evidence for investigating the mechanisms and the dynamic change of epilepsy comorbid cognitive dysfunction.