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Characterizing the Relationship Between Eye Movement Parameters and Cognitive Functions in Non-demented Parkinson's Disease Patients with Eye Tracking
07:26

Characterizing the Relationship Between Eye Movement Parameters and Cognitive Functions in Non-demented Parkinson's Disease Patients with Eye Tracking

Published on: September 26, 2019

Cholinergic modulation of MEG resting-state oscillatory activity in Parkinson's disease related dementia

J L W Bosboom1, D Stoffers, C J Stam

  • 1Department of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. bosboom@vumc.nl

Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
|April 24, 2009
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Rivastigmine treatment improved brain activity in Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) patients by increasing alpha and beta power and decreasing delta power. This suggests a role for cholinergic system degeneration in PDD and potential future use of MEG for treatment selection.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Clinical Neurology

Background:

  • Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) is characterized by slowed resting-state brain activity.
  • Cholinergic system degeneration is implicated in the pathophysiology of dementia in Parkinson's disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of rivastigmine on resting-state brain activity in PDD patients.
  • To determine if rivastigmine can reverse the characteristic slowing of oscillatory activity in PDD.

Main Methods:

  • Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to record resting-state brain activity in eight PDD patients before and after rivastigmine treatment.
  • Relative spectral power was analyzed across delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands in different brain regions.

Main Results:

  • Rivastigmine treatment led to increased alpha power in parieto-occipital and temporal regions.
  • A diffuse increase in beta power and a decrease in delta power in fronto-central and parieto-occipital regions were observed.
  • These changes indicate a partial reversal of the slowed brain activity associated with PDD.

Conclusions:

  • Rivastigmine treatment can counteract the slowing of resting-state brain activity in PDD.
  • The findings highlight the importance of the cholinergic system in PDD.
  • MEG may aid in identifying PDD patients who would benefit most from cholinergic therapies.

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