Rich-Club Connectivity of the Structural Covariance Network Relates to Memory Processes in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Gerhard S Drenthen1,2, Walter H Backes1,2, Whitney M Freeze2,3,4
1Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Background:
Though mediotemporal lobe volume changes are well-known features of Alzheimer's disease (AD), grey matter volume changes may be distributed throughout the brain. These distributed changes are not independent due to the underlying network structure and can be described in terms of a structural covariance network (SCN).
Objective:
To investigate how the cortical brain organization is altered in AD we studied the mutual connectivity of hubs in the SCN, i.e., the rich-club.
Methods:
To construct the SCNs, cortical thickness was obtained from structural MRI for 97 participants (normal cognition, n = 37; mild cognitive impairment, n = 41; Alzheimer-type dementia, n = 19). Subsequently, rich-club coefficients were calculated from the SCN, and related to memory performance and hippocampal volume using linear regression.
Results:
Lower rich-club connectivity was related to lower memory performance as well as lower hippocampal volume.
Conclusion:
Therefore, this study provides novel evidence of reduced connectivity in hub areas in relation to AD-related cognitive impairments and atrophy.
More Related Videos
08:43Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: August 7, 2017
09:01A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
Published on: May 7, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Association Areas of the Cortex
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
