Modifications in resting state functional anticorrelation between default mode network and dorsal attention network: comparison among young adults, healthy elders and mild cognitive impairment patients.
Resting state brain activity incorporates different components, including the Default Mode Network and the Dorsal Attention Network, also known as task-negative network and task-positive network respectively. These two networks typically show an anticorrelated activity during both spontaneous oscillations and task execution. However modifications of this anticorrelated activity pattern with age and pathology are still unclear. The present study aimed to investigate differences in resting state Default Mode Network-Dorsal Attention Network functional anticorrelation among young adults, healthy elders and Mild Cognitive Impairment patients. We retrospectively enrolled in this study 27 healthy young adults (age range: 25-35 y.o.; mean age: 28,5), 26 healthy elders (age range: 61-72 y.o.; mean age: 65,1) and 17 MCI patients (age range 64-87 y.o.; mean age: 73,6). Mild Cognitive Impairment patients were selected following Petersen criteria. All participants underwent neuropsychological evaluation and resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Spontaneous anticorrelated activity between Default Mode Network and Dorsal Attention Network was observed in each group. This anticorrelation was significantly decreased with age in most Default Mode Network-Dorsal Attention Network connections (p < 0.001, False Discovery Rate corrected). Moreover, the anticorrelation between the posterior cingulate cortex node of the Default Mode Network and the right inferior parietal sulcus node of the Dorsal Attention Network was significantly decreased when comparing Mild Cognitive Impairment with normal elders (p < 0.001, False Discovery Rate corrected). The functional connectivity changes in patients were not related to significant differences in grey matter content. Our results suggest that a reduced anticorrelated activity between Default Mode Network and Dorsal Attention Network is part of the normal aging process and that Mild Cognitive Impairment status is associated with more evident inter-networks functional connectivity changes.
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy. resposito1979@gmail.com.|Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy. resposito1979@gmail.com.
Roberto
R
Esposito
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy.
Filippo
F
Cieri
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy.|Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.|Bioengineering Unit, IRCCS NEUROMED, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Piero
P
Chiacchiaretta
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Nicoletta
N
Cera
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy.
Mariella
M
Lauriola
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy.
Massimo
M
Di Giannantonio
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy.|Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Armando
A
Tartaro
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy.|Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.|Bioengineering Unit, IRCCS NEUROMED, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Antonio
A
Ferretti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012146:Rest; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Aging; Default mode network; Dorsal attention network; Mild cognitive impairment; Resting state functional anticorrelations