Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 27, 2025

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping
Published on: August 12, 2019
Functional connectivity to the premotor cortex maps onto longitudinal brain neurodegeneration in progressive apraxia
Irene Sintini1, Joseph R Duffy2, Heather M Clark2
1Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Abstract:
Primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) is a neurodegenerative motor speech disorder affecting the ability to produce speech. If agrammatic aphasia is present, it can be referred to as the non-fluent/agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA). We investigated whether resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) connectivity from disease "epicenters" correlated with longitudinal gray matter atrophy and hypometabolism in nfvPPA and PPAOS. Eighteen nfvPPA and 23 PPAOS patients underwent clinical assessment, structural MRI, rs-fMRI, and [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET at baseline and ∼2 years follow-up. Rates of neurodegeneration in nfvPPA and PPAOS correlated with functional connectivity to the premotor, motor, and frontal cortex. Connectivity to the caudate and thalamus was more strongly associated with rates of hypometabolism than atrophy. Connectivity to the left Broca's area was more strongly associated with rates of atrophy and hypometabolism in nfvPPA. Finally, functional connectivity to a network of regions, and not to a single epicenter, correlated with rates of neurodegeneration in PPAOS and nfvPPA, suggesting similar biological mechanisms driving disease progression, with regional differences related to language.
More Related Videos
07:03Evaluation of Hemisphere Lateralization with Bilateral Local Field Potential Recording in Secondary Motor Cortex of Mice
Published on: July 31, 2019
09:42Author Spotlight: Using Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface to Improve Motor and Cognitive Function in Stroke Patients
Published on: September 1, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
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,...
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
Direct Motor Pathways
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and...