Identifying Inter-Individual Differences in Cognitive Decline Using the Brain Connectome in Osteoporosis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Endocrinology
• Radiology

Background:

• The bone-brain axis demonstrates bidirectional communication, with osteoporosis (OP) linked to neurodegenerative disorders.
• Individual variability in brain reserve may accelerate cognitive decline in OP patients, necessitating cognitive monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate individual differences in functional brain connectomes.
• To assess the association between functional connectome and cognitive ability in individuals with OP.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 31 OP patients and 31 healthy controls (HC).
• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with 3T scanner.
• Individual identification analyses using functional connectivity profiles and support vector regression to predict cognitive scores (MoCA, MMSE).

Main Results:

• Significant inter-individual variability and intra-individual stability in cognitive performance were observed in both groups.
• Functional connectivity profiles reliably identified individuals across sessions (OP: 85%, HC: 92%).
• Connectivity profiles predicted cognitive ability within and between sessions, with medial-frontal and default-mode networks being key predictors.

Conclusions:

• Resting-state functional connectomes reveal individual variability that correlates with cognitive ability in OP patients.
• This approach shows potential for cognitive monitoring and early detection of neurodegeneration in OP management.