title: Sensorimotor Cortex Reorganization in Alzheimer's Disease and Metal Dysfunction: A MEG Study.
abstract: Objective. To verify whether systemic biometals dysfunctions affect neurotransmission in living Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Methods. We performed a case-control study using magnetoencephalography to detect sensorimotor fields of AD patients, at rest and during median nerve stimulation. We analyzed position and amount of neurons synchronously activated by the stimulation in both hemispheres to investigate the capability of the primary somatosensory cortex to reorganize its circuitry disrupted by the disease. We also assessed systemic levels of copper, ceruloplasmin, non-Cp copper (i.e., copper not bound to ceruloplasmin), peroxides, transferrin, and total antioxidant capacity. Results. Patients' sensorimotor generators appeared spatially shifted, despite no change of latency and strength, while spontaneous activity sources appeared unchanged. Neuronal reorganization was greater in moderately ill patients, while delta activity increased in severe patients. Non-Cp copper was the only biological variable appearing to be associated with patient sensorimotor transmission. Conclusions. Our data strengthen the notion that non-Cp copper, not copper in general, affects neuronal activity in AD. Significance. High plasticity in the disease early stages in regions controlling more commonly used body parts strengthens the notion that physical and cognitive activities are protective factors against progression of dementia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (CNR), Unità MEG, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salustri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (CNR), Unità MEG, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy ; Department of Imaging, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00163 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tecchio
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Gabriele d'Annunzio University, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zappasodi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (CNR), Unità MEG, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tomasevic
authors.affiliation: AFaR, Department of Neuroscience, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ercolani
authors.affiliation: AFaR, Department of Neuroscience, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moffa
authors.affiliation: AFaR, Department of Neuroscience, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cassetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00163 Rome, Italy ; Institute of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Polyclinic, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: AFaR, Department of Neuroscience, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy ; Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00163 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Squitti