Predictor of cognitive deterioration in elderly subjects by auditory-evoked magnetic signal using magnetoencephalography.

Recent development of auditory-evoked magnetoencephalography (A-MEG) made it possible to measure interhemispheric neural conduction time (INCT) of auditory impulses. We estimated INCT with A-MEG and cognitive function with mini-mental state examination (MMSE) in 85 elderly patients with chronic dizziness (CD) and found that INCT was negatively correlated with MMSE scores (p<0.001). In 11 of 85 patients whose MMSE scores were within the normal range, A-MEG and MMSE were repeated for the subsequent 4 years to find longitudinal changes in INCT and cognitive function. The 11 patients were divided into two groups according to the baseline INCT values, such as Group A with normal INCT (n=7) and Group B with abnormally prolonged INCT (n=4). In Group A, INCT and MMSE scores remained within the normal range throughout the 4-year period. In Group B, INCT showed the tendency towards progressive prolongation during the follow-up period, and MMSE scores decreased to abnormally low levels at the third or fourth follow-up year in all the patients. The present results suggest that rapid neural interaction of both cerebral hemispheres is needed to maintain normal cognitive function. Abnormal INCT prolongation in elderly subjects suggests subclinical cortical network dysfunction and may predict the future development of cognitive deterioration.