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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: August 7, 2017
Altered Granger causality connectivity within motor-related regions of patients with Parkinson's disease: a
Li Hao1, Zhao Sheng1, Wang Ruijun1
1Department of Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, Inner Mongolia, China.
Purpose:
Although numerous clinical neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that there are functional abnormalities of motor-related regions in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), little studies have explored the causal interactions within these motor-related regions. The present study aimed to examine Granger causality connectivity patterns within motor-related regions in PD patients.
Methods:
Resting-state fMRI was conducted to investigate the causal connectivity differences within motor-related regions between 17 PD patients and 17 matched healthy controls. Subsequently, the relationship between the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores and causal connectivity values within motor-related regions was examined in PD patients.
Results:
An increased causal connectivity from the left premotor cortex (PMC) to right primary motor cortex (M1) was found in PD patients compared with that of healthy controls. Also, increased causal flow from the PMC to M1 was negatively correlated with motor scores.
Conclusion:
PD patients have abnormal causal connectivity in specific motor-related regions, which may reflect a compensatory role of motor deficits in PD patients.
