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Chen Y, Al-Nusaif M, Li S, Tan X, Yang H, Cai H, Le W. Progress on early diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. Front Med 2024; 18:446-464. [PMID: 38769282 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1047-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects both cognition and non-cognition functions. The disease follows a continuum, starting with preclinical stages, progressing to mild cognitive and behavioral impairment, ultimately leading to dementia. Early detection of AD is crucial for better diagnosis and more effective treatment. However, the current AD diagnostic tests of biomarkers using cerebrospinal fluid and/or brain imaging are invasive or expensive, and mostly are still not able to detect early disease state. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new diagnostic techniques with higher sensitivity and specificity during the preclinical stages of AD. Various non-cognitive manifestations, including behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbances, sensory dysfunctions, and physical changes, have been observed in the preclinical AD stage before occurrence of notable cognitive decline. Recent research advances have identified several biofluid biomarkers as early indicators of AD. This review focuses on these non-cognitive changes and newly discovered biomarkers in AD, specifically addressing the preclinical stages of the disease. Furthermore, it is of importance to explore the potential for developing a predictive system or network to forecast disease onset and progression at the early stage of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Chen
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Murad Al-Nusaif
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Song Li
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Xiang Tan
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Huijia Yang
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Huaibin Cai
- Transgenic Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Weidong Le
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China.
- Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, China.
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Kang L, Wang W, Nie Z, Gong Q, Yao L, Xiang D, Zhang N, Tu N, Feng H, Zong X, Bai H, Wang G, Wang F, Bu L, Liu Z. Dysregulated cerebral blood flow, rather than gray matter Volume, exhibits stronger correlations with blood inflammatory and lipid markers in depression. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 41:103581. [PMID: 38430800 PMCID: PMC10944186 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Arterial spin labeling (ASL) can be used to detect differences in perfusion for multiple brain regions thought to be important in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the potential of cerebral blood flow (CBF) to predict MDD and its correlations between the blood lipid levels and immune markers, which are closely related to MDD and brain function change, remain unclear. The 451 individuals - 298 with MDD and 133 healthy controls who underwent MRI at a single time point with arterial spin labelling and a high resolution T1-weighted structural scan. A proportion of MDD also provided blood samples for analysis of lipid and immune markers. We performed CBF case-control comparisons, random forest model construction, and exploratory correlation analyses. Moreover, we investigated the relationship between gray matter volume (GMV), blood lipids, and the immune system within the same sample to assess the differences in CBF and GMV. We found that the left inferior parietal but supramarginal and angular gyrus were significantly different between the MDD patients and HCs (voxel-wise P < 0.001, cluster-wise FWE correction). And bilateral inferior temporal (ITG), right middle temporal gyrus and left precentral gyrus CBF predict MDD (the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the random forest model is 0.717) and that CBF is a more sensitive predictor of MDD than GMV. The left ITG showed a positive correlation trend with immunoglobulin G (r = 0.260) and CD4 counts (r = 0.283). The right ITG showed a correlation trend with Total Cholesterol (r = -0.249) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (r = -0.295). Immunity and lipids were closely related to CBF change, with the immunity relationship potentially playing a greater role. The interactions between CBF, plasma lipids and immune index could therefore represent an MDD pathophysiological mechanism. The current findings provide evidence for targeted regulation of CBF or immune properties in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaowen Nie
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Gong
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lihua Yao
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Xiang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning Tu
- PET/CT/MRI and Molecular Imaging Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongyan Feng
- PET/CT/MRI and Molecular Imaging Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaofen Zong
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hanping Bai
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Gaohua Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lihong Bu
- PET/CT/MRI and Molecular Imaging Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhongchun Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Jadavji NM, Haelterman NA, Sud R, Antonietti A. Editorial: Reproducibility in neuroscience. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1271818. [PMID: 37727652 PMCID: PMC10505729 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1271818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nafisa M. Jadavji
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Graduate Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, United States
- Department of Child Health, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Nele A. Haelterman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Reeteka Sud
- Center for Brain and Mind, Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Alberto Antonietti
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Won J, Nielson KA, Smith JC. Large-Scale Network Connectivity and Cognitive Function Changes After Exercise Training in Older Adults with Intact Cognition and Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2023; 7:399-413. [PMID: 37220620 PMCID: PMC10200248 DOI: 10.3233/adr-220062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite growing evidence regarding the association between exercise training (ET) and functional brain network connectivity, little is known about the effects of ET on large-scale within- and between-network functional connectivity (FC) of core brain networks. Objective We investigated the effects of ET on within- and between-network functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network (FPN), and salience network (SAL) in older adults with intact cognition (CN) and older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The association between ET-induced changes in FC and cognitive performance was examined. Methods 33 older adults (78.0±7.0 years; 16 MCI and 17 CN) participated in this study. Before and after a 12-week walking ET intervention, participants underwent a graded exercise test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), a narrative memory test (logical memory; LM), and a resting-state fMRI scan. We examined the within (W) and between (B) network connectivity of the DMN, FPN, and SAL. We used linear regression to examine associations between ET-related changes in network connectivity and cognitive function. Results There were significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, COWAT, RAVLT, and LM after ET across participants. Significant increases in DMNW and SALW, and DMN-FPNB, DMN-SALB, and FPN-SALB were observed after ET. Greater SALW and FPN-SALB were associated with enhanced LM immediate recall performance after ET in both groups. Conclusion Increased within- and between-network connectivity following ET may subserve improvements in memory performance in older individuals with intact cognition and with MCI due to Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyeon Won
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kristy A. Nielson
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - J. Carson Smith
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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King DLO, Henson RN, Kievit R, Wolpe N, Brayne C, Tyler LK, Rowe JB, Tsvetanov KA. Distinct components of cardiovascular health are linked with age-related differences in cognitive abilities. Sci Rep 2023; 13:978. [PMID: 36653428 PMCID: PMC9849401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27252-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular ageing contributes to cognitive impairment. However, the unique and synergistic contributions of multiple cardiovascular factors to cognitive function remain unclear because they are often condensed into a single composite score or examined in isolation. We hypothesized that vascular risk factors, electrocardiographic features and blood pressure indices reveal multiple latent vascular factors, with independent contributions to cognition. In a population-based deep-phenotyping study (n = 708, age 18-88), path analysis revealed three latent vascular factors dissociating the autonomic nervous system response from two components of blood pressure. These three factors made unique and additive contributions to the variability in crystallized and fluid intelligence. The discrepancy in fluid relative to crystallized intelligence, indicative of cognitive decline, was associated with a latent vascular factor predominantly expressing pulse pressure. This suggests that higher pulse pressure is associated with cognitive decline from expected performance. The effect was stronger in older adults. Controlling pulse pressure may help to preserve cognition, particularly in older adults. Our findings highlight the need to better understand the multifactorial nature of vascular aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah L O King
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SP, UK.
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Speech, Language and the Brain, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB23 6HT, UK.
| | - Richard N Henson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN), University of Cambridge and MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
| | - Rogier Kievit
- Donders Research Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Noham Wolpe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
- Department of Physical Therapy, The Stanley Steer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Carol Brayne
- Cambridge Public Health, Cambridge Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Lorraine K Tyler
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Speech, Language and the Brain, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB23 6HT, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN), University of Cambridge and MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SP, UK
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN), University of Cambridge and MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
| | - Kamen A Tsvetanov
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SP, UK
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Speech, Language and the Brain, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB23 6HT, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN), University of Cambridge and MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
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Dautricourt S, Gonneaud J, Landeau B, Calhoun VD, de Flores R, Poisnel G, Bougacha S, Ourry V, Touron E, Kuhn E, Demintz-King H, Marchant NL, Vivien D, de la Sayette V, Lutz A, Chételat G, Arenaza-Urquijo EM, Allais F, André C, Asselineau J, Bejanin A, Champetier P, Chételat G, Chocat A, Dautricourt S, de Flores R, Delarue M, Egret S, Felisatti F, Devouge EF, Frison E, Gonneaud J, Heidmann M, Tran TH, Kuhn E, le Du G, Landeau B, Lefranc V, Lutz A, Mezenge F, Moulinet I, Ourry V, Palix C, Paly L, Poisnel G, Quillard A, Rauchs G, Rehel S, Requier F, Touron E, Vivien D, Ware C, Lugo SB, Klimecki O, Vuilleumier P, Barnhofer T, Collette F, Salmon E, de la Sayette V, Delamillieure P, Batchelor M, Beaugonin A, Gheysen F, Demnitz-King H, Marchant N, Whitfield T, Schimmer C, Wirth M. Dynamic functional connectivity patterns associated with dementia risk. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:72. [PMID: 35606867 PMCID: PMC9128270 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-01006-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Background This study assesses the relationships between dynamic functional network connectivity (DFNC) and dementia risk. Methods DFNC of the default mode (DMN), salience (SN), and executive control networks was assessed in 127 cognitively unimpaired older adults. Stepwise regressions were performed with dementia risk and protective factors and biomarkers as predictors of DFNC. Results Associations were found between times spent in (i) a “weakly connected” state and lower self-reported engagement in early- and mid-life cognitive activity and higher LDL cholesterol; (ii) a “SN-negatively connected” state and higher blood pressure, higher depression score, and lower body mass index (BMI); (iii) a “strongly connected” state and higher self-reported engagement in early-life cognitive activity, Preclinical Alzheimer’s cognitive composite-5 score, and BMI; and (iv) a “DMN-negatively connected” state and higher self-reported engagement in early- and mid-life stimulating activities and lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. The lower number of state transitions was associated with lower brain perfusion. Conclusion DFNC states are differentially associated with dementia risk and could underlie reserve. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13195-022-01006-7.
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Wirth M, Gaubert M, Köbe T, Garnier-Crussard A, Lange C, Gonneaud J, de Flores R, Landeau B, de la Sayette V, Chételat G. Vascular Health Is Associated With Functional Connectivity Decline in Higher-Order Networks of Older Adults. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:847824. [PMID: 35558154 PMCID: PMC9088922 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.847824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Poor vascular health may impede brain functioning in older adults, thus possibly increasing the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The emerging link between vascular risk factors (VRF) and longitudinal decline in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within functional brain networks needs replication and further research in independent cohorts. Method We examined 95 non-demented older adults using the IMAP+ cohort (Caen, France). VRF were assessed at baseline through systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body-mass-index, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Brain pathological burden was measured using white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes, derived from FLAIR images, and cortical β-Amyloid (Aβ) deposition, derived from florbetapir-PET imaging. RSFC was estimated from functional MRI scans within canonical brain networks at baseline and up to 3 years of follow-up. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated the independent predictive value of VRF on longitudinal changes in network-specific and global RSFC as well as a potential association between these RSFC changes and cognitive decline. Results We replicate that RSFC increased over time in global RSFC and in the default-mode, salience/ventral-attention and fronto-parietal networks. In contrast, higher diastolic blood pressure levels were independently associated with a decrease of RSFC over time in the default-mode, salience/ventral-attention, and fronto-parietal networks. Moreover, higher HbA1c levels were independently associated with a reduction of the observed RSFC increase over time in the salience/ventral-attention network. Both of these associations were independent of brain pathology related to Aβ load and WMH volumes. The VRF-related changes in RSFC over time were not significantly associated with longitudinal changes in cognitive performance. Conclusion Our longitudinal findings corroborate that VRF promote RSFC alterations over time within higher-order brain networks, irrespective of pathological brain burden. Altered RSFC in large-scale cognitive networks may eventually increase the vulnerability to aging and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranka Wirth
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany
- *Correspondence: Miranka Wirth,
| | - Malo Gaubert
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa Köbe
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany
| | - Antoine Garnier-Crussard
- Clinical and Research Memory Center of Lyon, Lyon Institute for Aging, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- INSERM 1048, CNRS 5292, Neuroscience Research Centre, Lyon, France
- UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND “Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders,” Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Normandy University, Caen, France
| | - Catharina Lange
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julie Gonneaud
- UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND “Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders,” Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Normandy University, Caen, France
| | - Robin de Flores
- UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND “Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders,” Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Normandy University, Caen, France
| | - Brigitte Landeau
- UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND “Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders,” Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Normandy University, Caen, France
| | - Vincent de la Sayette
- UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND “Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders,” Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Normandy University, Caen, France
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Gaël Chételat
- UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND “Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders,” Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Normandy University, Caen, France
- Gaël Chételat,
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Soldan A, Pettigrew C, Zhu Y, Wang MC, Bilgel M, Hou X, Lu H, Miller MI, Albert M. Association of Lifestyle Activities with Functional Brain Connectivity and Relationship to Cognitive Decline among Older Adults. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5637-5651. [PMID: 34184058 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examines the relationship of engagement in different lifestyle activities to connectivity in large-scale functional brain networks, and whether network connectivity modifies cognitive decline, independent of brain amyloid levels. Participants (N = 153, mean age = 69 years, including N = 126 with amyloid imaging) were cognitively normal when they completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, a lifestyle activity questionnaire, and cognitive testing. They were followed with annual cognitive tests up to 5 years (mean = 3.3 years). Linear regressions showed positive relationships between cognitive activity engagement and connectivity within the dorsal attention network, and between physical activity levels and connectivity within the default-mode, limbic, and frontoparietal control networks, and global within-network connectivity. Additionally, higher cognitive and physical activity levels were independently associated with higher network modularity, a measure of functional network specialization. These associations were largely independent of APOE4 genotype, amyloid burden, global brain atrophy, vascular risk, and level of cognitive reserve. Moreover, higher connectivity in the dorsal attention, default-mode, and limbic networks, and greater global connectivity and modularity were associated with reduced cognitive decline, independent of APOE4 genotype and amyloid burden. These findings suggest that changes in functional brain connectivity may be one mechanism by which lifestyle activity engagement reduces cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Soldan
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Corinne Pettigrew
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yuxin Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Mei-Cheng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Murat Bilgel
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Xirui Hou
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Hanzhang Lu
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Michael I Miller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Marilyn Albert
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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