Quadrato Motor Training in Parkinson's Disease: Resting-State fMRI Changes and Exploratory Whole-Brain Radiomics

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Movement Disorders

Background:

• Non-pharmacological interventions are crucial for Parkinson's disease (PD) management.
• Sensitive neuroimaging markers for training-induced brain changes in PD are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) on resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in PD.
• To explore the utility of whole-brain radiomic features from MRI for detecting short-term training effects in PD.

Main Methods:

• Fifty PD patients were randomized to QMT or a SHAM condition for 4 weeks.
• MRI scans (resting-state fMRI, T1-weighted, FA) were acquired at baseline and post-intervention.
• Independent component analysis, dual regression, and radiomics with machine learning were employed.

Main Results:

• QMT increased synchronization in sensorimotor and frontoparietal networks compared to SHAM.
• The SHAM group showed reduced network synchronization.
• Radiomic analysis demonstrated limited ability to differentiate pre- and post-QMT scans (ROC-AUC 0.65).

Conclusions:

• QMT may enhance functional network stability or reorganization in PD over a short period.
• Whole-brain structural radiomics is less sensitive for detecting early training-related effects in PD.
• Resting-state fMRI shows promise as a marker for motor-cognitive rehabilitation outcomes in PD.