title: Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Functional Connectivity in Mild Cognitive Impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), such as apathy and depression, commonly accompany cognitive and functional decline in early Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prior studies have shown associations between affective NPS and neurodegeneration of medial frontal and inferior temporal regions in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD dementia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between functional connectivity in four brain networks and NPS in elderly with MCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  NPS were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory in 42 subjects with MCI. Resting-state functional connectivity in four networks (default mode network, fronto-parietal control network (FPCN), dorsal attention network, and ventral attention network) was assessed using seed-based magnetic resonance imaging. Factor analysis was used to identify two factors of NPS: Affective and Hyperactivity. Linear regression models were utilized with the neuropsychiatric factors as the dependent variable and the four networks as the predictors of interest. Covariates included age, gender, premorbid intelligence, processing speed, memory, head movement, and signal-to-noise ratio. These analyses were repeated with the individual items of the affective factor, using the same predictors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant association between greater Affective factor symptoms and reduced FPCN connectivity (p = 0.03). There was no association between the Hyperactivity factor and any of the networks. Secondary analyses revealed an association between greater apathy and reduced FPCN connectivity (p = 0.005), but none in other networks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased connectivity in the FPCN may be associated with greater affective symptoms, particularly apathy, early in AD. These findings extend prior studies, using different functional imaging modalities in individuals with greater disease severity.
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Catherine E
authors: CE
authors: Munro
authors: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Nancy J
authors: NJ
authors: Donovan
authors: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Brendan J
authors: BJ
authors: Guercio
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Sarah E
authors: SE
authors: Wigman
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Aaron P
authors: AP
authors: Schultz
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Rebecca E
authors: RE
authors: Amariglio
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Dorene M
authors: DM
authors: Rentz
authors: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Keith A
authors: KA
authors: Johnson
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Reisa A
authors: RA
authors: Sperling
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Gad A
authors: GA
authors: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057565:Apathy; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; apathy; functional magnetic resonance imaging; mild cognitive impairment; neuropsychiatric symptoms