title: Widespread alterations in functional brain network architecture in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: We investigated changes in functional network architecture in amnestic mild cognitive impairment using graph-based analysis of task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging and fine cortical parcellation. Widespread disconnection was observed primarily in cortical hubs known to manifest early Alzheimer's disease pathology, namely precuneus, parietal lobules, supramarginal and angular gyri, and cuneus, with additional involvement of subcortical regions, sensorimotor cortex and insula. The connectivity changes determined using graph-based analysis significantly exceed those detected using independent component analysis both in amplitude and topographical extent, and are largely decoupled from the presence of overt atrophy. This superior ability of graph-based analysis to detect disease-related disconnection highlights its potential use in the determination of biomarkers of early dementia. Graph-based analysis source code is provided as supplementary material.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, UK Scientific Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Minati
authors.affiliation: Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, UK.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy Neuroscience Department, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mastropasqua
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spanò
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Universitá Cattolica, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Behavioural Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
authors.affiliation: Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, UK Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cercignani
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozzali
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000647:Amnesia / Q000150:complications; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI); functional connectivity; graph theory; prodromal Alzheimer's disease; resting-state functional MRI