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Updated: Jun 30, 2025
Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: August 7, 2017
Shared and Specific Changes of Cortico-Striatal Functional Connectivity in Stable Mild Cognitive Impairment and
Yiming Ruan1, Darui Zheng1, Wenxuan Guo1
1Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Background:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease, has two distinct subtypes: stable MCI (sMCI) and progressive MCI (pMCI). Early identification of the two subtypes has important clinical significance.
Objective:
We aimed to compare the cortico-striatal functional connectivity (FC) differences between the two subtypes of MCI and enhance the accuracy of differential diagnosis between sMCI and pMCI.
Methods:
We collected resting-state fMRI data from 31 pMCI patients, 41 sMCI patients, and 81 healthy controls. We chose six pairs of seed regions, including the ventral striatum inferior, ventral striatum superior, dorsal-caudal putamen, dorsal-rostral putamen, dorsal caudate, and ventral-rostral putamen and analyzed the differences in cortico-striatal FC among the three groups, additionally, the relationship between the altered FC within the MCI subtypes and cognitive function was examined.
Results:
Compared to sMCI, the pMCI patients exhibited decreased FC between the left dorsal-rostral putamen and right middle temporal gyrus, the right dorsal caudate and right inferior temporal gyrus, and the left dorsal-rostral putamen and left superior frontal gyrus. Additionally, the altered FC between the right inferior temporal gyrus and right putamen was significantly associated with episodic memory and executive function.
Conclusions:
Our study revealed common and distinct cortico-striatal FC changes in sMCIs and pMCI across different seeds; these changes were associated with cognitive function. These findings can help us understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of MCI and distinguish pMCI and sMCI in the early stage potentially.
Insights
Progressive MCI (pMCI) shows distinct cortico-striatal functional connectivity (FC) changes compared to stable MCI (sMCI), impacting memory and executive function. These findings aid in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neurology
Background:
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) precedes Alzheimer's disease and has stable (sMCI) and progressive (pMCI) subtypes.
- Early differentiation between sMCI and pMCI is crucial for clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cortico-striatal functional connectivity (FC) differences between sMCI and pMCI.
- To improve the diagnostic accuracy for differentiating sMCI from pMCI.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state fMRI data were acquired from 31 pMCI, 41 sMCI, and 81 healthy controls.
- Cortico-striatal FC was analyzed using six seed region pairs, including various putamen and caudate regions.
- The association between altered FC and cognitive function within MCI subtypes was examined.
Main Results:
- Progressive MCI (pMCI) patients exhibited reduced FC between specific brain regions (e.g., dorsal-rostral putamen and middle temporal gyrus) compared to stable MCI (sMCI).
- Altered FC in the right inferior temporal gyrus and right putamen correlated significantly with episodic memory and executive function deficits.
Conclusions:
- Distinct and common cortico-striatal FC alterations characterize sMCI and pMCI.
- These FC changes are linked to cognitive performance, offering potential biomarkers for early differential diagnosis of MCI subtypes.
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