Frontoparietal network integrity supports cognitive function in pre-symptomatic frontotemporal dementia: Multimodal...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) genetic mutation carriers can maintain cognitive function despite underlying neurodegeneration.
• Understanding pre-symptomatic brain changes is crucial for staging and identifying resilience mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain structural, perfusion, and functional network patterns in pre-symptomatic FTD mutation carriers.
• To explore the relationship between these patterns, genetic status, and cognitive performance.

Main Methods:

• Multimodal analysis including gray matter volume, cerebral perfusion, and resting-state functional networks using linked independent component analysis (LICA).
• Inclusion of 207 pre-symptomatic genetic mutation carriers and 188 non-carrier relatives.
• Multiple regression analysis to correlate LICA components with genetic status and cognition.

Main Results:

• Pre-symptomatic carriers exhibited an age-related decrease in left frontoparietal network integrity, unlike non-carriers.
• Executive functions in carriers became increasingly reliant on left frontoparietal network integrity with age.

Conclusions:

• Frontoparietal network integrity in pre-symptomatic carriers demonstrates a unique age and cognition relationship compared to non-carriers.
• This suggests the frontoparietal network's integrity plays a role in brain resilience against FTD.