Resting-state functional connectivity of subthalamic nucleus in different Parkinson's disease phenotypes

Previous studies showed that the subthalamic nucleus (STN) plays a crucial role in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathophysiology. During rest, PD phenotypes exhibit different STN functional connectivity. STN functional connectivity was examined in 31 PD patients [12 tremor-dominant (TD) and 19 posture instability gait difficulty (PIGD)] and 22 healthy controls (HC). Compared with controls and PIGD patients, the TD patients exhibited higher functional connectivity between the bilateral STN and the left cerebellar anterior lobe. Compared with the TD and HC groups, in the PIGD subgroup functional connectivity was lower between the left putamen and the STN, as well as between the pons and the STN. In the PIGD subgroup, functional connectivity was greater between the STN and bilateral occipital lobe, which positively correlated with PIGD scores in PD patients. Additionally, STN-cerebellum connectivity positively correlated with the tremor score, and STN-putamen connectivity negatively correlated with the PIGD score in PD patients. PD subtypes with distinguished STN functional connectivity might explain the various pathophysiological mechanisms in tremor and gait disorders. Increased coupling between the STN and cerebellum might underlie the neural substrate of PD tremors. Lower functional connectivity between the STN and putamen might underpin PD gait and posture disturbances, while higher functional connectivity between the STN and visual cortex might play a compensatory role.