Using EEG to Predict Dementia Risk and Cognitive Resilience in Elderly Patients Undergoing Surgery

Poster Session D - Monday, March 31, 2025, 8:00 – 10:00 am EDT, Back Bay Ballroom/Republic Ballroom

Yessica Martínez Serrato¹ (y.martinez-serrato@bham.ac.uk), Thomas Jackson¹, Ali Mazaheri¹; ¹The University of Birmingham

Introduction: Elective surgeries in older adults often lead to cognitive decline, including delirium and memory issues. Disruptions in attention networks, particularly the alerting network, have been linked to post-surgical cognitive deficits. This study examines task-related EEG changes, specifically alpha modulation during the Attention Network Task (ANT), as predictors of post-operative cognitive resilience. Additionally, we investigate the role of inflammatory markers in cognitive vulnerability after surgery. Methods: Pre-surgical EEG recordings will be collected during the ANT to assess alerting, orienting, and executive control networks. The primary focus is alpha modulation within the alerting network, hypothesizing that its efficiency predicts post-operative cognitive outcomes. Inflammatory markers will be analyzed to explore their relationship with attention network function and cognitive resilience. EEG and inflammatory profiles will be integrated with clinical data to identify key predictors of post-surgical cognitive decline. This study is conducted in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams at the University of Birmingham and NHS Trusts. Results: We hypothesize that stronger alpha modulation in the alerting network will correlate with better cognitive resilience, while disrupted modulation may indicate higher risk for cognitive decline. Additionally, elevated inflammatory markers may correlate with weaker alpha modulation, suggesting an interaction between inflammation and attentional control in predicting cognitive outcomes. Conclusion: This research highlights alpha modulation in the alerting network as a key biomarker for post-surgical cognitive outcomes. By integrating EEG and inflammatory profiles into pre-surgical evaluations, we aim to develop a comprehensive tool to identify at-risk patients, guiding interventions to improve recovery in elderly populations.

Topic Area: METHODS: Electrophysiology