Who's driving? The default mode network in healthy elderly individuals at risk of cognitive decline

INTRODUCTION: Age is the main risk factor for the development of neurocognitive disorders, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common. Its physiopathological features may develop decades before the onset of clinical symptoms. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) is a promising and cost-effective tool for the prediction of cognitive decline in healthy older individuals that exhibit an excess of theta activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of brain connectivity variable resolution electromagnetic tomography (BC-VARETA), a novel source localization algorithm, as a potential tool to assess brain connectivity with 19-channel recordings, which are common in clinical practice. METHODS: We explored differences in terms of functional connectivity among the nodes of the default mode network between two groups of healthy older participants, one of which exhibited an EEG marker of risk for cognitive decline. RESULTS: The risk group exhibited increased levels of delta, theta, and beta functional connectivity among nodes of the default mode network, as well as reversed directionality patterns of connectivity among nodes in every frequency band when compared to the control group. DISCUSSION: We propose that an ongoing pathological process may be underway in healthy elderly individuals with excess theta activity in their EEGs, which is further evidenced by changes in their connectivity patterns. BC-VARETA implemented on 19-channels EEG recordings appears to be a promising tool to detect dysfunctions at the connectivity level in clinical settings.