Altered power spectral density in the resting-state sensorimotor network in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic disease that involves the brain with several neurological symptoms. Although there were few imaging studies on DM1, no studies have investigated functional alterations in the sensorimotor network at rest in patients with DM1. In the current study, a power spectral density (PSD) analysis of resting-state fMRI data was performed to assess possible alteration in spontaneous neural activity of the sensorimotor network in patients with DM1. Compared to healthy controls, patients with DM1 showed higher PSD responses in the orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampus and basal ganglia (corrected P < 0.05). Patients with DM1 showed higher PSD responses in white matter structures associated with motor function (corrected P < 0.05). Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated that the brain regions showing PSD differences were correlated with measures of motor performance (P < 0.05). In gray matter, our findings suggest that motor disability in DM1 is not an isolated deterioration of the motor power but a multimodal dysfunction that also involves the visual system. In addition, the widespread PSD alteration in white matter structures suggest that motor deficits in DM1 involve motor movement structures as well as structures important for its coordination and regulation.