Disturbances in information processing can be established by means of evoked potentials (EP). Sensory information is transported over the white myelinated fibers towards the brain. Classification and storage will take place in the cortical grey. This kind of information processing can be made visible by means of EP's.
In 9 patients with dementia. Alzheimer's type and 7 patients with multi-infarct dementia a delay in information processing has been established by means of EP's. In multi-infarct dementia also a delay in short latency components was determined. The generators of various parts of the information processing in the cerebral cortex have been delayed and distorted. We speculate that, beside loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex, an alteration in cortical glial cells might be the cause of some disturbances in patients with dementia.
