Cognitive Compensation Depends on Frontoparietal Network Structure-Function Coupling in Patients With White Matter...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Cerebrovascular Disease Research

Background:

• White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is linked to cognitive decline, but early-stage mechanisms remain unclear.
• Investigating network structure-function coupling (SC-FC coupling) is crucial for understanding early WMH impacts on cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of network SC-FC coupling in the cognitive performance of patients with WMH.
• To determine if SC-FC coupling patterns differ between mild and severe WMH stages and correlate with cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 617 WMH patients from the CIRCLE study using multimodal MRI and cognitive assessments.
• Calculation of network SC-FC coupling from diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI data.
• Classification of WMH severity based on Fazekas scores for periventricular and deep WMH.

Main Results:

• The frontoparietal network showed the lowest SC-FC coupling, while the somatomotor network had the highest across all participants.
• In mild WMH, frontoparietal SC-FC coupling positively correlated with WMH volume and cognitive performance on the digit span forward task.
• These correlations were not observed in the whole cohort or the severe WMH subgroup.

Conclusions:

• Frontoparietal network SC-FC coupling may facilitate cognitive compensation in the early stages of WMH.
• SC-FC coupling represents a potential therapeutic target for interventions aimed at preserving cognitive function in WMH patients.