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

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the difference between epilepsy comorbid with and without cognitive dysfunction.MethodParticipants 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.ResultThe 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.ConclusionOur research scrutinizes the disparities observed within EEG microstates among epilepsy patients both with and without comorbid cognitive dysfunction.SignificanceEEG 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.