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Updated: Nov 2, 2025
Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: August 7, 2017
Altered brain network centrality in patients with mild cognitive impairment: an fMRI study using a voxel-wise degree
Jing Xiong1, Chao Yu1, Ting Su2,3
1Department of Ophthalmology and Geriatric Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Center of Natural Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Purpose:
Previous studies in patients with Alzheimer's disease have shown amyloid beta accumulation in the brain and abnormal brain activity, with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in early stages of the disease. The aim of the current study was to investigate functional connectivity in patients with MCI.
Methods:
We recruited 24 subjects in total, including 12 patients with MCI (6 men and 6 women) and 12 healthy controls (HCs) (6 men and 6 women), matched for age, gender, and lifestyle factors. All subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans and voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) was used to evaluate alterations in the strength of brain network connectivity.
Results:
The DC value of the left inferior temporal gyrus was lower in MCI but significantly higher in the right fusiform gyrus and the left supplementary motor area, compared with HCs. The DC value in left inferior temporal gyrus correlated positively with disease duration and negatively with Mini-Mental State Examination. ROC curve analysis of brain regions showed acceptable specificity and accuracy of DC values between MCIs and HCs in the area under the curve (right fusiform gyrus, 0.955; left supplementary motor area, 0.992; left inferior temporal gyrus, 1.000).
Conclusions:
Abnormal functional connectivity in brain regions of patients with MCI may reflect the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease development and could prove useful in clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Insights
This study reveals distinct brain connectivity patterns in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a potential early sign of Alzheimer's disease. These altered functional connectivity measures show promise for diagnosing MCI and understanding Alzheimer's progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease is characterized by amyloid beta accumulation and abnormal brain activity.
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents an early stage of Alzheimer's disease.
- Investigating functional connectivity is crucial for understanding early disease pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate functional connectivity alterations in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
- To identify specific brain regions exhibiting altered functional connectivity in MCI.
- To assess the diagnostic potential of these connectivity changes.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 12 MCI patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs), matched for demographics.
- Utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans.
- Employed voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) to analyze brain network connectivity strength.
Main Results:
- MCI patients showed lower DC in the left inferior temporal gyrus compared to HCs.
- Significantly higher DC was observed in the right fusiform gyrus and left supplementary motor area in MCI patients.
- DC values demonstrated high accuracy in differentiating MCI from HCs (AUCs up to 1.000).
Conclusions:
- Abnormal functional connectivity in specific brain regions is associated with MCI.
- These findings may indicate early pathological processes in Alzheimer's disease development.
- Altered connectivity patterns could be valuable for clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies for MCI.
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