Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
09:01

A 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

10.2K

Investigating altered brain functional hubs and causal connectivity in coronary artery disease with cognitive

Rui Qin1, Tong Li1, Cuicui Li1

  • 1Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.

Peerj
|November 29, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery disease (CAD) patients show reduced brain connectivity, particularly in the left parahippocampal cortex and medial temporal gyrus, impacting cognitive function. These brain network changes may explain cognitive decline in CAD.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Cardiovascular Research

Background:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) and cognitive impairment (CI) represent significant global health challenges.
  • While regional brain function changes in CAD patients are documented, brain network connectivity alterations remain under-researched.
  • Understanding these network changes is crucial for explaining cognitive decline in CAD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate resting-state brain network connectivity in CAD patients.
  • To analyze effective connectivity strength and directionality using degree centrality (DC) and spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM).
  • To identify functional hubs and aberrant connections underlying altered brain function and cognitive decline in CAD.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study with 24 CAD patients and 24 matched healthy controls (HC).
  • Functional MRI (fMRI) used to assess brain activity; neuropsychological tests for cognitive function.
  • Degree centrality (DC) analysis and spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM) applied to investigate brain networks.

Main Results:

  • CAD patients exhibited significantly lower cognitive function than HC.
  • Reduced DC values observed in the left parahippocampal cortex (PHC) and left medial temporal gyrus (MTG) in CAD patients.
  • Altered effective connectivity noted, including absent positive connectivity between right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and PHC, increased negative connectivity from PHC/MTG to SFG, and decreased positive connectivity between PHC and MTG.

Conclusions:

  • Alterations in brain network connectivity involving SFG, PHC, and MTG may mediate cognitive function changes in CAD patients.
  • Neuroimaging evidence suggests specific network disruptions contribute to cognitive decline in CAD.
  • Findings highlight the link between cardiovascular health and brain network integrity affecting cognition.
Abstract

Keywords:
Coronary artery diseaseDegree centralityMRIResting state effective connectivity

More Related Videos

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease09:38

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

14.9K
Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment08:43

Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: August 7, 2017

7.9K

Related Concept Videos

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
Prosopagnosia01:24

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. In severe cases, individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize close family members, including parents and spouses, by their faces. For instance, someone with prosopagnosia might walk past their child in a crowd, only realizing their mistake upon noticing their child's distinctive backpack or favorite jacket. Prosopagnosia specifically impairs facial recognition, while the recognition of other objects or...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction01:29

Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:23

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology

Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
Dementia l: Introduction01:22

Dementia l: Introduction

Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...