Topography of Cholinergic Nerve Terminal Vulnerability and Balance Self-Efficacy in Parkinson's Disease

Postural instability and gait disturbances (PIGD) represent a significant cause of disability in Parkinson's disease (PD). Cholinergic system dysfunction has been implicated in falls in PD. The occurrence of falls typically results in fear of falling (FoF) that in turn may lead to poorer balance self-efficacy. Balance self-efficacy refers to one's level of confidence in their ability to balance while completing activities of daily living like getting dressed, bathing, and walking. Lower self-efficacy, or greater FoF during these activities is a function of motor, cognitive, and emotional impairments and may impact quality of life in PD. Unlike known cholinergic reduction, especially in the right lateral geniculate and caudate nuclei, little is known about the role of cholinergic transporters in FoF or mobility self-efficacy in PD.

[¹⁸F]fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol ([¹⁸F]FEOBV) positron emission tomography (PET) studies were conducted to assess vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) expression in 126 patients with PD (male (m) = 95, female (f) = 31). Participants had a mean age of 67.3 years (standard deviation (SD) = 7.1) and median Hoehn Yahr stage of 2.5. Patients also completed the Short Falls Efficacy Scale (sFES-I) as a survey measure of concerns about falling. [¹⁸F]FEOBV data were processed in Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) using a voxel-wise regression model with sFES-I scores as the outcome measure.

Reduced [¹⁸F]FEOBV binding in tectum, metathalamic (lateral more than medial geniculate nuclei), thalamus proper, bilateral mesiotemporal (hippocampal, parahippocampal, fusiform gyri and fimbriae), and right cerebellar lobule VI significantly associated with higher sFES-I scores (p < 0.05, family-wise error (FWE) correction after Threshold-Free Cluster Enhancement (TFCE)).

Unlike the more limited involvement of the brainstem-thalamic complex and caudate nuclei cholinergic topography associated with falls in PD, cholinergic reductions in the extended connectivity between the thalamic complex and the temporal limbic system via the fimbriae associates with FoF. Additional cholinergic changes were seen in the cerebellum. The temporal limbic system plays a role not only in episodic memory but also in spatial navigation, scene and contextual (e.g., emotional) processing. Findings may augur novel therapeutic approaches to treat poor mobility self-efficacy in PD.

No: NCT02458430. Registered 18 March, 2015, https://www.

gov/study/NCT02458430; No: NCT05459753. Registered 01 July, 2022, https://www.

gov/study/NCT05459753.