title: Altered nigrostriatal and nigrocortical functional connectivity in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a condition closely associated with Parkinson disease (PD). RBD is a sleep disturbance that frequently manifests early in the development of PD, likely reflecting disruption in normal functioning of anatomical areas affected by neurodegenerative processes. Although specific neuropathological aspects shared by RBD and PD have yet to be fully documented, further characterization is critical to discovering reliable biomarkers that predict PD onset. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis of altered functional connections of the substantia nigra (SN) in patients in whom RBD was diagnosed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between-groups, single time point imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  UTHSC-H 3 telsa MRI center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with RBD, 11 patients with PD, and 10 age-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  NA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We measured correlations of SN time series using resting state blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) in patients with idiopathic RBD who were at risk for developing PD, patients in whom PD was diagnosed, and age-matched controls. Using voxelwise analysis of variance, different correlations (P < 0.01, whole-brain corrected) between left SN and left putamen were found in patients with RBD compared with controls and patients with PD. SN correlations with right cuneus/precuneus and superior occipital gyrus were significantly different for patients with RBD compared with both controls and patients with PD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that altered nigrostriatal and nigrocortical connectivity characterizes rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder before onset of obvious motor impairment. The functional changes are discussed in the context of degeneration in dopaminergic and cognition-related networks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Program in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, The City College and Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ellmore
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Castriotta
authors.forename: Katie L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hendley
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Aalbers
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Furr-Stimming
authors.forename: Ashley J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: Jessika
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suescun
authors.forename: Michelle R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Beurlot
authors.forename: Roy T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hendley
authors.forename: Mya C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Schiess
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000473:pathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Parkinson disease; REM sleep behavior disorder; putamen; resting state fMRI; substantia nigra