A study of structural and functional connectivity in early Alzheimer's disease using rest fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging

Abstract

Background/objectives: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition where in early diagnosis and interventions are key policy priorities in dementia services and research. We studied the functional and structural connectivity in mild AD to determine the nature of connectivity changes that coexist with neurocognitive deficits in the early stages of AD.

Methods: Fifteen mild AD subjects and 15 cognitively healthy controls (CHc) matched for age and gender, underwent detailed neurocognitive assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Rest fMRI was analyzed using dual regression approach and DTI by voxel wise statistics.

Results: Patients with mild AD had significantly lower functional connectivity (FC) within the default mode network and increased FC within the executive network. The mild AD group scored significantly lower in all domains of cognition compared with CHc. But fractional anisotropy did not significantly (p < 0.05) differ between the groups.

Conclusion: Resting state functional connectivity alterations are noted during initial stages of cognitive decline in AD, even when there are no significant white matter microstructural changes.

Keywords: early diagnosis; functional biomarkers; mild Alzheimer's disease; resting state functional connectivity; white matter microstructural integrity.