EEG features in young female patients with depressive states at different stages of endogenous mental diseases

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2024;124(9):100-103. doi: 10.17116/jnevro2024124091100.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To search for neurophysiological correlates of the characteristics of the brain functional state in patients with endogenous depression with an ultra-high risk of developing psychosis in comparison with EEG parameters of patients without symptoms of a risk of developing psychosis and patients who have suffered psychotic episode.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 92 female patients, aged 16-26 years, at the stage of remission, divided into three groups: with depression without symptoms of ultra-high risk of developing psychosis (group 1, n=42), with depression and attenuated psychotic symptoms, but without a history of a psychotic episode (group 2, n=32) and with depression that developed after experiencing a psychotic episode (group 3, n=18). In all patients, pre-treatment multichannel background EEG was recorded with spectral power analysis in narrow frequency sub-bands.

RESULTS: According to EEG data, the functional state of the cerebral cortex of patients in group 1 at the stage of remission was approaching normal. The EEG of group 2 and group 3 differed from the EEG of group 1 by significantly lower values of EEG spectral power in the alpha3 sub-band (11-13 Hz) in the occipital leads and a significantly increased content of theta1 (4-6 Hz) activity in the central-parietal areas. Such EEG frequency structure of patients in groups 2 and 3 reflects a reduced functional state of associative areas, and may also indicate dysfunction of the frontal parts of the cerebral cortex. These EEG features of patients in groups 2 and 3 are consistent with a significantly greater severity of their positive and negative symptoms on SAPS and SANS compared to group 1.

CONCLUSION: In patients with depression at the stage of remission who have symptoms of an ultra-high risk of developing psychosis and in those who have suffered a psychotic episode, a reduced functional state of the associative and frontal areas of the cerebral cortex is noted, which may underlie the characteristics of their clinical condition.

PMID:39435784 | DOI:10.17116/jnevro2024124091100