Longitudinal structural and functional connectivity analyzes in Parkinson' Disease

• Grant number: 15/09075-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Cendes
• Grantee: Rachel Paes Guimarães
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07559-3 - BRAINN - The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/09112-7 - Functional connectivity in Parkinson's Disease patients with and without freezing of gait, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, and it affects 17/100.000 individuals. The main cardinal symptoms are resting tremor, bradikinesia, rigidity, freezing of gait, postural instability and bent posture. Currently, the diagnosis follows the presence of the first motor symptoms. These usually have its onset on the fifth decade of life. However, these patients also present non-motor symptoms, which may be due to the natural course of the disease or secondary to medication. PD has a progressive course and symptoms worsen with time. Symptoms usually present in the sixties, nevertheless its incidence increases with aging. Due to demographic changes and the increase in life expectancy, the number of PD patients tends to double over the next 40 years. Despite its high incidence, the etiology is still unknown, but genetic and environmental factors may play an important role in idiopathic cases. The main objective of the present study is the longitudinal assessment of brain alterations in PD through Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), resting state functional MRI (rs fMRI) and cortical thickness analyzes.