Loss of EEG Network Efficiency Is Related to Cognitive Impairment in Dementia With Lewy Bodies

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study was to test whether disturbed EEG resting‐state functional connectivity and network organization are a potential neurophysiological substrate of cognitive impairment in dementia with Lewy bodies. Methods EEG recordings were obtained in dementia with Lewy bodies patients, Alzheimer's disease patients and controls, matched for age and sex (N = 66 for each group; 14 [21%] female; mean age: 70 years). We analyzed functional connectivity of band‐filtered EEG time series using the phase lag index. Functional brain network topology was analyzed with the minimum spanning tree. Mini–Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test A, and Visual Association Test were used as cognitive measures. Results Dementia with Lewy bodies patients showed lower connectivity strength in the alpha frequency band, compared to both controls and Alzheimer's disease patients (P