V43. Vagus somatosensory evoked potentials in elderly: A potential risk marker for neurodegeneration and its relation to Subjective Memory Impairment. Issue 8 (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Metzger, F.; Hagen, K.; Kroczek, A.; Polak, T.; Ehlis, A.-C.; Fallgatter, A.J.
• Is Part Of: Clinical neurophysiology. Volume 126:Issue 8(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: e87
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Electroencephalography -- Periodicals; Electromyography -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.04.121
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-2457

Abstract

<abstract xml:lang="en" abstract-type="author" id="ab005"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title id="st005">Background</title> <p id="sp005">Vagus somatosensory evoked potentials (VSEP) have been shown to have higher latencies with aging, which are even more increased in patients with neurodegenerative or demyelination diseases, which may be related to an early affection of the brain stem and especially of the nuclei of the vagus nerve. Patients with Alzheimer's disease and subjects with mild cognitive impairment as well as patients with Parkinson's disease have increased latencies compared to age-matched healthy controls. A further potential risk or prodromal marker for Alzheimer's (AD) disease being recently focused is subjective memory impairment (SMI). A main research question is which marker has the best predictive value for degenerative processes like AD. We investigate this question from both a psychological (SMI) and biological (VSEP) perspective.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st010">Methods</title> <p id="sp010">The association of VSEP latencies and SMI is studied in a healthy risk cohort, including 358 elderly subjects, who are in a longitudinal study of risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders (TREND study, Tuebinger evaluation of Risk factors for the Early detection of NeuroDegeneration).</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st015">Results</title> <p id="sp015">The results show increased VSEP latencies for peak P2 at Fz-F4 in subjects who report SMI and are worried about it, as compared to subjects who report memory impairment, but are not concerned and to subjects without complaints. These results are in line with the findings during the last years of increased VSEP latencies in neurodegenerative diseases.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st020">Conclusion</title> <p id="sp020">VSEP are easily and comfortably measureable evoked potentials which may have a correlation to neurodegenerative or demyelinating damage to the brainstem nuclei of the N. Vagus. An important implication of the results is to further examine the predictive value of VSEP for neurodegenerative processes in longitudinal perspective. The present results support a potential role of VSEP for the detection of very early neurodegenerative processes which may precede Alzheimer's disease.</p> </sec> </abstract>