Structural connectivity and brain network analyses in Parkinson's disease: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Authors

Maurizio Bergamino, Barrow Neuroimaging Innovation Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States.Follow
Elizabeth G. Keeling, Barrow Neuroimaging Innovation Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States.Follow
Nicola J. Ray, Health, Psychology and Communities Research Centre, Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Antonella Macerollo, Neurology Department, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Monty Silverdale, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Ashley M. Stokes, Barrow Neuroimaging Innovation Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) is an idiopathic disease of the central nervous system characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reveal underlying brain changes associated with PD. OBJECTIVE: In this study, structural connectivity and white matter networks were analyzed by diffusion MRI and graph theory in a cohort of patients with PD and a cohort of healthy controls (HC) obtained from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database in a cross-sectional analysis. Furthermore, we investigated longitudinal changes in the PD cohort over 36 months. RESULT: Compared with the control group, participants with PD showed lower structural connectivity in several brain areas, including the corpus callosum, fornix, and uncinate fasciculus, which were also confirmed by a large effect-size. Additionally, altered connectivity between baseline and after 36 months was found in different network paths inside the white matter with a medium effect-size. Network analysis showed trends toward lower network density in PD compared with HC at baseline and after 36 months, though not significant after correction. Significant differences were observed in nodal degree and strength in several nodes. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, altered structural and network metrics in several brain regions, such as corpus callosum, fornix, and cingulum were found in PD, compared to HC. We also report altered connectivity in the PD group after 36 months, reflecting the impact of both PD pathology and aging processes. These results indicate that structural and network metrics might yield insight into network reorganization that occurs in PD.

Keywords

Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, Parkinson's disease, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, network analysis, structural connectivity

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Publication Title

Frontiers in neurology

ISSN

1664-2295

Volume

14

First Page

1137780

PubMed ID

37034088

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3389/fneur.2023.1137780

Recommended Citation

Bergamino, Maurizio; Keeling, Elizabeth G.; Ray, Nicola J.; Macerollo, Antonella; Silverdale, Monty; and Stokes, Ashley M., "Structural connectivity and brain network analyses in Parkinson's disease: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study" (2023). Translational Neuroscience. 2289.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurobiology/2289