Whole cortical and default mode network mean functional connectivity as potential biomarkers for mild Alzheimer's disease

Autor(es)

Figueredo Balthazar, Marcio Luiz ^[1] ; de Campos, Brunno Machado ^[1] ; Franco, Alexandre Rosa ^[2] ; Damasceno, Benito Pereira ^[1] ; Cendes, Fernando ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Neurol, UNICAMP, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Catholic Univ Fed Rio Grande Sul PUCRS, Brain Inst Rio Grande Sul, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH-NEUROIMAGING; v. 221, n. 1, p. 37-42, JAN 30 2014.
• Citações Web of Science: 27

Resumo

The search for an Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker is one of the most relevant contemporary research topics due to the high prevalence and social costs of the disease. Functional connectivity (PC) of the default mode network (DMN) is a plausible candidate for such a biomarker. We evaluated 22 patients with mild AD and 26 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a 3.0 T scanner. To identify the DMN, seed-based FC of the posterior cingulate was calculated. We also measured the sensitivity/specificity of the method, and verified a correlation with cognitive performance. We found a significant difference between patients with mild AD and controls in average z-scores: DMN, whole cortical positive (WCP) and absolute values. DMN individual values showed a sensitivity of 77.3% and specificity of 70%. DMN and WCP values were correlated to global cognition and episodic memory performance. We showed that individual measures of DMN connectivity could be considered a promising method to differentiate AD, even at an early phase, from normal aging. Further studies with larger numbers of participants, as well as validation of normal values, are needed for more definitive conclusions. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/17092-0 - Biomarcadores na Doença de Alzheimer e comprometimento cognitivo leve: estudo de métodos de ressonância magnética funcional e marcadores liquóricos e plasmáticos
• Beneficiário: Marcio Luiz Figueredo Balthazar
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Apoio a Jovens Pesquisadores