Brain entropy in patients with de novo Parkinson disease: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

• Grant number: 24/15897-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Radiology
• Principal Investigator: Renata Ferranti Leoni
• Grantee: Lívia Lamas da Silva
• 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. Cortical and subcortical atrophy has been observed after DP's onset, becoming prominent in later stages of the disease according to the development of cognitive, non-motor, and mood dysfunctions. However, most of the studies were conducted in patients with PD who were already undergoing treatment. The disease and treatment duration differed between patients, which may limit the conclusions of the studies. Previous studies by our group reported alterations in structural and functional connectivity correlated with non-motor symptoms in patients with de novo PD, that is, with a recent diagnosis and without any intervention. Therefore, this project aims to continue the evaluation of these patients, investigating parameters that assess the functional brain network through graph theory and entropy calculation. To this end, we will use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) based on Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast and correlate it with non-motor symptoms in patients with de novo PD. This retrospective observational study will use information from the International Parkinson's Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. We hope the research's findings can support the presence of functional brain alterations related to non-motor symptoms in the early stages of PD.