Regional and network properties of white matter function in Parkinson's disease

In this study, the regional activity and functional connectivity of WM were compared between PD patients (n  = 57) and matched healthy controls (n = 52), based on multimodel magnetic resonance imaging data sets. By tract‐based spatial statistical analyses of regional activity, patients showed decreased structural‐functional coupling in the left corticospinal tract compared to controls. This tr act also displayed abnormally increased functional connectivity within the left post‐central gyrus and left putamen in PD patients. At the network level, the WM functional network showed small‐worldness in both controls and PD patients, yet it was abnormally increased in the latter group. Based on the features of the WM functional connectome, previously un‐evaluated individuals could be classified with fair accuracy (73%) and area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics (75%). These neuroimaging findings provide direct evidence for WM functional changes in PD, which is crucial to understand the functional role of fiber tracts in the pathology of neural circuits.
Source: Human Brain Mapping - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research