The compensatory effect of education as revealed by resting-state electroencephalographic alpha rhythms in patients with dementia due to Parkinson’s disease: findings from an exploratory study

Here, we investigated whether educational attainment influences the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying vigilance regulation, as reflected in resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms, in patients with dementia due to Parkinson's (PDD) and Lewy body disease (DLB). Clinical, demographic, and rsEEG data were obtained from an international database, including PDD patients (N = 75), DLB patients (N = 50), and cognitively unimpaired older controls (Healthy; N = 54). Each group was partitioned into low (Edu-) and high (Edu+) educational attainment subgroups, matched for age, sex, and cognitive-motor status. We analyzed rsEEG rhythms across the individual delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands. Cortical rsEEG source topography was estimated using eLORETA freeware. In the Healthy group, Edu+ participants exhibited significantly greater widespread rsEEG alpha source activities compared to Edu- participants, possibly reflecting neuroprotective neurophysiological mechanisms. Conversely, in the PDD group, Edu+ patients showed lower widespread rsEEG alpha source activities than Edu- patients, possibly indicating compensatory mechanisms. No significant differences in rsEEG source activities were observed between DLB-Edu+ and DLB-Edu- patients. Educational attainment may be associated with compensatory mechanisms that counteract the abnormal neurophysiological processes underlying rsEEG alpha rhythms and vigilance regulation in PDD patients, but not in DLB patients. Future studies combining rsEEG and neuroimaging techniques should investigate the metabolic and functional connectivity correlates of these putative compensatory mechanisms in the PDD brain. Early education may be a key investment for national governments, especially in low-income countries, to prevent the cognitive deficits of Parkinson's disease along aging, thereby reducing the unbearable social and economic burden.

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Journal
GeroScience
Published
2025-06-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-025-01703-9
Primary Topic
EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
Type
article
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0.00

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article

The compensatory effect of education as revealed by resting-state electroencephalographic alpha rhythms in patients with dementia due to Parkinson’s disease: findings from an exploratory study

İlayda Kıyı, Roberta Lizio, Giuseppe Bruno, Filippo Carducci et al.
GeroScience
EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
article

The compensatory effect of education as revealed by resting-state electroencephalographic alpha rhythms in patients with dementia due to Parkinson’s disease: findings from an exploratory study

İlayda Kıyı, Roberta Lizio, Giuseppe Bruno, Filippo Carducci, Laura Vacca, Raffaele Ferri, Chiara Coletti, Anita D’Anselmo, Sofia Cuoco, Claudio Babiloni, Lütfü Hanoğlu, Fabrizio Stocchi, Franco Giubilei, Giuseppe Noce, Claudio Del Percio, Francesca De Pandis, Francesco Famà, Giovanni Battista Frisoni, Angelo Antonini, Yağmur Özbek, Bartolo Lanuzza, Laura Bonanni, Rossella Rotondo, Dharmendra Jakhar, Susanna Lopez, Fabrizia D’Antonio, Federico Massa, Nesrin Helvacı Yılmaz, Paolo Barone, Bahar Güntekin, Matteo Pardini, Marco Salvatore, Görsev Yener, Roberta Biundo, Moira Marizzoni, Dario Arnaldi, John‐Paul Taylor, Andrea Soricelli
article en

Abstract

Here, we investigated whether educational attainment influences the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying vigilance regulation, as reflected in resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms, in patients with dementia due to Parkinson's (PDD) and Lewy body disease (DLB). Clinical, demographic, and rsEEG data were obtained from an international database, including PDD patients (N = 75), DLB patients (N = 50), and cognitively unimpaired older controls (Healthy; N = 54). Each group was partitioned into low (Edu-) and high (Edu+) educational attainment subgroups, matched for age, sex, and cognitive-motor status. We analyzed rsEEG rhythms across the individual delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands. Cortical rsEEG source topography was estimated using eLORETA freeware. In the Healthy group, Edu+ participants exhibited significantly greater widespread rsEEG alpha source activities compared to Edu- participants, possibly reflecting neuroprotective neurophysiological mechanisms. Conversely, in the PDD group, Edu+ patients showed lower widespread rsEEG alpha source activities than Edu- patients, possibly indicating compensatory mechanisms. No significant differences in rsEEG source activities were observed between DLB-Edu+ and DLB-Edu- patients. Educational attainment may be associated with compensatory mechanisms that counteract the abnormal neurophysiological processes underlying rsEEG alpha rhythms and vigilance regulation in PDD patients, but not in DLB patients. Future studies combining rsEEG and neuroimaging techniques should investigate the metabolic and functional connectivity correlates of these putative compensatory mechanisms in the PDD brain. Early education may be a key investment for national governments, especially in low-income countries, to prevent the cognitive deficits of Parkinson's disease along aging, thereby reducing the unbearable social and economic burden.

GeroScienceVol. 48(1)
University of Geneva (CH), University of Salerno (IT), University of Padua (IT), İzmir University of Economics (TR), Parthenope University of Naples (IT), Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale (IT), Dokuz Eylül University (TR), San Raffaele University of Rome (IT), Istanbul Medipol University (TR), University of Chieti-Pescara (IT), Oasi Maria SS (IT), Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli (IT), IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele (IT), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino (IT), Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico San Raffaele (IT), University of Genoa (IT), Newcastle University (GB), Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Ministero della Salute, Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Sapienza Università di Roma, Regione Lazio, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre
Openalex Percentile: Top 87%
EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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