Differential resting-state functional connectivity patterns in functional movement disorders: Evidence for...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Functional Movement Disorders (FMD) present variably, including gait issues and other motor abnormalities.
• The underlying neurobiology of FMD phenotypes, especially gait disorders, is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if functional gait disorders have distinct resting-state functional connectivity patterns.
• To differentiate functional gait disorders from other FMD phenotypes using neuroimaging.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional MRI was used on 38 FMD patients and 20 healthy controls.
• Seed-based connectivity analysis focused on motor network regions of interest.
• Compared connectivity patterns across gait disorder, non-gait disorder, and control groups.

Main Results:

• Gait disorder groups showed reduced connectivity between the left caudate and left temporoparietal junction.
• Decreased interhemispheric sensorimotor connectivity was observed in gait disorders compared to non-gait disorders.
• Distinct premotor-sensorimotor connectivity alterations were found in isolated vs. combined gait disorder subgroups.

Conclusions:

• Functional gait disorders possess unique neurobiological signatures.
• These signatures may involve altered sensory feedback integration and motor control mechanisms.
• Findings offer insights into FMD pathophysiology and potential targeted therapies.