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Diseases

Alzheimer Disease Network Disruptions Revealed Through EEG-based Minimum Spanning Tree Analysis

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research from the Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University has shed light on the network changes across the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum. Using minimum spanning tree (MST) analysis of resting-state EEG (rsEEG) data, the study investigated alterations in functional brain networks across AD stages. The research found significant alterations in rsEEG network topology across healthy controls, mild cognitive impairment due to AD (MCI-AD), and AD groups, with AD patients showing increased theta band connectivity and decreased beta band connectivity compared to healthy controls.

Key Takeaways:

  • AD patients exhibited increased theta band connectivity (higher mean Phase Lag Index, diameter, and eccentricity) and decreased beta band connectivity (lower mean Phase Lag Index and eccentricity) compared to healthy controls.
  • The MCI-AD group showed higher delta band maximum degree and altered beta band network organization compared to healthy controls and AD patients.
  • The network changes correlated with cognitive performance and disease severity, with beta band mean Phase Lag Index and theta band eccentricity effectively discriminating between AD/MCI-AD and healthy controls.
  • Significant correlations were also found between specific MST metrics and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (t-Tau, p-Tau, Ab1-42).
  • EEG-derived network measures may serve as potential biomarkers for early AD diagnosis and monitoring disease progression.

Statistics:

  • 65 participants were included in the study, comprising 30 healthy controls, 14 MCI-AD, and 21 AD patients.
  • The study analyzed rsEEG data across five frequency bands: theta, beta, delta, alpha, and gamma.
  • AD patients showed increased theta band connectivity (higher mean PLI: 0.54 ± 0.12 vs. 0.38 ± 0.09 in healthy controls).

Sources:

  • EEG-based minimum spanning tree analysis reveals network disruptions in Alzheimer's disease spectrum: an observational study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2025,17.
  • NewsRx. Researchers from Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University Discuss Findings in Alzheimer Disease (EEG-based minimum spanning tree analysis reveals network disruptions in Alzheimer's disease spectrum: an observational study). Health & Medicine Week. October 17, 2025; p 6566.

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