COGNITIVE FUNCTION ASSESSMENT IN MILD TO MODERATE COPD PATIENTS THROUGH P300, ERP STUDY.

Event-related potentials (ERPs) provide a non-invasive method of studying brain neural activity, with P300 wave components reflecting the speed of cognitive processes. In our study we primarily focused on finding cognitive impairment in the initial stage of the Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through latency and amplitude study of P300 wave. We enrolled equal number (n = 35) of COPD cases and healthy controls. Mean value of Latency at Fz, Cz, Pz was significantly decreased in cases as compared to control group (p = 0.007, p = 0.001, p = 0.006 respectively). Similarly, mean averaged latency was also decreased in COPD vs controls (p = 0.008). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between MEF 25-75% and amplitude at Cz in the COPD cases (r = 0.3534, p = 0.037) was observed. The results obtained in our study suggests that the cognitive dysfunction is present even in mild to moderate COPD patients. The positive association between the spirometric parameters and P300 variables obtained in our study also suggests that with deterioration in lung functions there is decline in cognition.