title: Abnormal degree centrality in Alzheimer's disease patients with depression: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
abstract: Depression is common in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and occurs in AD patients with a prevalence of up to 40%. It reduces cognitive function and increases the burden on caregivers. Currently, there are very few medications that are useful for treating depression in AD patients. Therefore, understanding the brain abnormalities in AD patients with depression (D-AD) is crucial for developing effective interventions. The aim of this study was to investigate the intrinsic dysconnectivity pattern of whole-brain functional networks at the voxel level in D-AD patients based on degree centrality (DC) as measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI). Our study included 32 AD patients. All patients were evaluated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and further divided into two groups: 15 D-AD patients and 17 non-depressed AD (nD-AD) patients. R-fMRI datasets were acquired from these D-AD and nD-AD patients. First, we performed a DC analysis to identify voxels that showed altered whole brain functional connectivity (FC) with other voxels. We then further investigated FC using the abnormal DC regions to examine in more detail the connectivity patterns of the identified DC changes. D-AD patients had lower DC values in the right middle frontal, precentral, and postcentral gyrus than nD-AD patients. Seed-based analysis revealed decreased connectivity between the precentral and postcentral gyrus to the supplementary motor area and middle cingulum. FC also decreased in the right middle frontal, precentral, and postcentral gyrus. Thus, AD patients with depression fit a 'network dysfunction model' distinct from major depressive disorder and AD.
authors.affiliation: Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China.
authors.forename: Zhongwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Xiaozheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China.
authors.forename: Fuquan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: The Seventh Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, China; Clinical Institute of Mental Health in Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, China; Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, China. Electronic address: lj7037@126.com.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China. Electronic address: cxl2220@163.com.
authors.forename: Xingli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Degree centrality; Depression; Functional magnetic resonance imaging