Brain functional connectivity by resting magnetic resonance imaging of patients with Parkinson's disease

• Grant number: 22/00269-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Radiology
• Principal Investigator: Renata Ferranti Leoni
• Grantee: Milene Soares de Queiroz Fernandes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) can be considered a multi-systemic neurodegenerative disease resulting from dysfunction in several neural circuits. The main objective of this study is to evaluate resting brain functional connectivity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and correlate it with non-motor symptoms in patients with PD (with a recent diagnosis and still without any intervention). This is a retrospective observational study, which will use information from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) international database. The group of participants will be composed of 50 PD patients and 50 healthy participants matched by age. Participants who have images acquired by a high-resolution T1-weighted 3T MRI scanner, functional MRI based on blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast and have performed the following non-motor assessments will be included: Trail Making A and B test; Verbal fluency (FAS); Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and REM Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (RBQSQ). All participants gave written consent prior to study enrollment in the PPMI. Functional connectivity results will be compared between groups. And for patients, the functional connectivity outcomes will be correlated with non-motor symptom scores. The findings of this research may support the presence of functional connectivity changes related to non-motor symptoms in the early stages of PD.