Aberrant functional connectivity differentiates retrosplenial cortex from posterior cingulate cortex in prodromal Alzheimer's disease.
The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is a key hub of the default mode network, a resting-state network involved in episodic memory, showing functional connectivity (FC) changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, PCC is a cytoarchitectonically heterogeneous region. Specifically, the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), often subsumed under the PCC, is an area functionally and microanatomically distinct from PCC. To investigate FC patterns of RSC and PCC separately, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in healthy aging participants, patients with subjective cognitive impairment, and prodromal AD. Compared to the other 2 groups, we found higher FC from RSC to frontal cortex in subjective cognitive impairment but higher FC to occipital cortex in prodromal AD. Conversely, FC from PCC to the lingual gyrus was higher in prodromal AD. Furthermore, data indicate that RSC and PCC are characterized by differential FC patterns represented by hub-specific interactions with memory and attentions scores in prodromal AD compared to cognitively normal individuals, possibly reflecting compensatory mechanisms for RSC and neurodegenerative processes for PCC. Data thus confirm and extend previous studies suggesting that the RSC is functionally distinct from PCC.
Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany. Electronic address: k.dillen@fz-juelich.de.
Kim N H
KNH
Dillen
Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Heidi I L
HIL
Jacobs
Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Juraj
J
Kukolja
Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Boris
B
von Reutern
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Nils
N
Richter
Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Özgür A
ÖA
Onur
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Julian
J
Dronse
Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Jülich, Germany; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Karl-Josef
KJ
Langen
Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Gereon R
GR
Fink
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
Compensation; Dementia; Neurodegeneration; Resting-state; Seed-based analysis; Verbal episodic memory