THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF THE BRAIN ACCORDING TO THESE NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL METHODS OF STUDY AND FEATURES OF NIGHT DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS VARIANTS OF DEMENTIA

Abstract

The article presents the results of a neurophysiological assessment in 170 patients with various types of dementia (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, vascular dementia, post-traumatic dementia). The aim of the study was to assess the functional state of the brain and to give a comparative description of nocturnal disorders in patients with various clinical variants of dementia.
It was found that in the group of patients with degenerative forms of dementia and vascular dementia, the highest percentage fell on high-amplitude-arrhythmic (26.6% and 31.6%) and low-amplitude – (25% and 26.6%) arrhythmic EEG types, in particular, there was a pronounced decrease in α- and β-rhythms and a significant increase in the Ө-rhythm, in particular the δ-rhythm, statistically significant (p<0,001). All patients with dementia, regardless of its variant, had severe sleep disorders. Prolonged falling asleep, frequent waking up at dawn and at night, reduced sleep quality, superficial sleep, fear of not falling asleep, fear of bed, reduction in total duration, decrease in the fourth stage – wave sleep. A pronounced increase in sleep spindles was noted in patients with HD. In patients with vascular dementia, the number and duration of nocturnal awakenings significantly increased. This was facilitated by the phenomena of obstructive apnea (52.3%), flexion-extensor myoclonic movements of the lower extremities (56.4%), bedwetting (35.2%), cramping pain in the calf muscles (2.3%). With vascular, as well as with degenerative dementia, various sleep disorders were detected in all patients. Also, all patients were dissatisfied with the duration and depth of sleep. Difficulties with falling asleep were noted in 93.3% of patients. Superficial sleep with frequent nocturnal awakenings during sleep was found in 83.3% of patients. In 86.6% of patients, early morning awakening was recorded three to four hours after falling asleep.