EEG analysis of army recruits and veterans and the relationship of the frequency spectrum with depression scale scores / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the characteristics of EEG frequency in recruits and veterans and their relationship with depression scale scores.Methods Fifty-five newly enlisted soldiers formed the recruits group and 68 demobilized soldiers the veterans group.A general information survey,EEGs and the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) were administered to all of the subjects.According to the HAMD scores,35 of the 123 were designated as the abnormal group,while 88 formed the normal one.Eighteen of the 35 with EEG abnormalities served as a doubleabnormal group to be compared with the remaining 17 cases with abnormal HAMD scores and normal EEGs (the single-abnormal group),and 9 of the 18 with higher HAMD scores as the higher group,and the other 9 cases as the lower group.The EEG frequency spectrum and the power percentages from the δ to γ frequency bands were calculated as δ0.5-4 Hz,(o)4-8 Hz,α8-13 Hz,β13-25 Hz,γ25-40 Hz.Results Forty-six of the subjects (37.4％) had abnormal EEG results,35 had abnormal HAMD scores,and 18 (51.4％ of the soldiers with abnormal HAMD scores) had both abnormalities.The veterans had lower δ band power percentage in all channels than the recruits,but in the (0) band it was the reverse.In the left channels the veterans had lower α and γ band power percentages than the recruits.Compared with the normal,all channels in the EEGs of subjects with abnormal HAMD scores had significantly higher δ band power percentages.The higher the δ band power percentage a subject had,the higher his HAMD score.Conclusion There is some correlation between changes in EEG power percentages and the possibility and severity of depression.Objective and subjective EEG evaluation can help improve the positive rate of diagnosis,and thus the management of the army.