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Alzheimer's Research & Therapy
Published in: Alzheimer's Research & Therapy 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

Memory performance-related dynamic brain connectivity indicates pathological burden and genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease

Authors: Frances C. Quevenco, Maria G. Preti, Jiri M. G. van Bergen, Jun Hua, Michael Wyss, Xu Li, Simon J. Schreiner, Stefanie C. Steininger, Rafael Meyer, Irene B. Meier, Adam M. Brickman, Sandra E. Leh, Anton F. Gietl, Alfred Buck, Roger M. Nitsch, Klaas P. Pruessmann, Peter C. M. van Zijl, Christoph Hock, Dimitri Van De Ville, Paul G. Unschuld

Published in: Alzheimer's Research & Therapy | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) strongly relates to advanced age and progressive deposition of cerebral amyloid-beta (Aβ), hyperphosphorylated tau, and iron. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between cerebral dynamic functional connectivity and variability of long-term cognitive performance in healthy, elderly subjects, allowing for local pathology and genetic risk.

Methods

Thirty seven participants (mean (SD) age 74 (6.0) years, Mini-Mental State Examination 29.0 (1.2)) were dichotomized based on repeated neuropsychological test performance within 2 years. Cerebral Aβ was measured by 11C Pittsburgh Compound-B positron emission tomography, and iron by quantitative susceptibility mapping magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at an ultra-high field strength of 7 Tesla (7T). Dynamic functional connectivity patterns were investigated by resting-state functional MRI at 7T and tested for interactive effects with genetic AD risk (apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-ε4 carrier status).

Results

A relationship between low episodic memory and a lower expression of anterior-posterior connectivity was seen (F(9,27) = 3.23, p < 0.008), moderated by ApoE-ε4 (F(9,27) = 2.22, p < 0.005). Inherent node-strength was related to local iron (F(5,30) = 13.2; p < 0.022).

Conclusion

Our data indicate that altered dynamic anterior-posterior brain connectivity is a characteristic of low memory performance in the subclinical range and genetic risk for AD in the elderly. As the observed altered brain network properties are associated with increased local iron, our findings may reflect secondary neuronal changes due to pathologic processes including oxidative stress.
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Metadata
Title
Memory performance-related dynamic brain connectivity indicates pathological burden and genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors
Frances C. Quevenco
Maria G. Preti
Jiri M. G. van Bergen
Jun Hua
Michael Wyss
Xu Li
Simon J. Schreiner
Stefanie C. Steininger
Rafael Meyer
Irene B. Meier
Adam M. Brickman
Sandra E. Leh
Anton F. Gietl
Alfred Buck
Roger M. Nitsch
Klaas P. Pruessmann
Peter C. M. van Zijl
Christoph Hock
Dimitri Van De Ville
Paul G. Unschuld
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Alzheimer's Research & Therapy / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1758-9193
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-017-0249-7

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