title: Subcortical connectivity in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to measure correlations in spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations in the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal which represent functional connectivity between key brain areas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate functional connectivity with regions hypothesised to be differentially affected in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) compared with Alzheimer's disease and controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen participants with probable DLB, 16 with probable Alzheimer's disease and 16 controls were scanned in the resting-state using a 3T scanner. The BOLD signal time-series of fluctuations in seed regions were correlated with all other voxels to measure functional connectivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with DLB and Alzheimer's disease showed greater caudate and thalamic connectivity compared with controls. Those with DLB showed greater putamen connectivity compared with those with Alzheimer's disease and the controls. No regions showed less connectivity in DLB or Alzheimer's disease v. controls, or in DLB v. Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altered connectivity in DLB and Alzheimer's disease provides new insights into the neurobiology of these disorders and may aid in earlier diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre and Institute for Ageing and Health, Wolfson Research Centre, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Eva R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Firbank
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Blamire
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D011699:Putamen / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology