Altered functional connectivity during visual working memory state in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) suffer from severe memory function impairment, especially working memory [1]. Based on Electroencephalogram (EEG), this study used power spectral density and large-scale network analysis to reveal the frequency changes of brain areas and the diverse network patterns during the visual WM coding stages between MCI and normal controls (NC). The results showed, compared to NC, the left and right prefrontal lobes and central regions has significant synchronization in the θ frequency band, while the left temporal lobe has significant desynchronization during the working memory coding state among MCI. Brain network analysis revealed the diverse network patterns during the WM coding stage between two group. Compared with the NC, the brain of MCI patients reduced the top-down visual network connection flow derived from frontal lobe to parietal lobe, and recruited a more up-down mechanism with a much stronger information flow from frontal lobe to occipital lobe during the WM coding state. This result provides a new perspective for the neural mechanism of WM deficits in MCI patients.Clinical Relevance—Abnormal EEG rhythm and connectivity of brain regions may be important indicators of WM disorders in patients with MCI.