1. Selective Impairment of Long-Range Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity as a Biomarker for Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease in People with Down Syndrome.
- Author
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DiProspero ND, Keator DB, Phelan M, van Erp TGM, Doran E, Powell DK, Van Pelt KL, Schmitt FA, Head E, Lott IT, and Yassa MA
- Subjects
- Alzheimer Disease diagnostic imaging, Biomarkers, Brain diagnostic imaging, Cognitive Dysfunction diagnostic imaging, Default Mode Network diagnostic imaging, Down Syndrome diagnostic imaging, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Positron-Emission Tomography, Alzheimer Disease complications, Brain physiopathology, Cognitive Dysfunction complications, Default Mode Network physiopathology, Down Syndrome complications
- Abstract
Background: Down syndrome (DS) is associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In neurotypical individuals, clinical AD is preceded by reduced resting state functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN), but it is unknown whether changes in DMN connectivity predict clinical onset of AD in DS., Objective: Does lower DMN functional connectivity predict clinical onset of AD and cognitive decline in people with DS?, Methods: Resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI), longitudinal neuropsychological, and clinical assessment data were collected on 15 nondemented people with DS (mean age = 51.66 years, SD = 5.34 years, range = 42-59 years) over four years, during which 4 transitioned to dementia. Amyloid-β (Aβ) PET data were acquired on 13 of the 15 participants. Resting state fMRI, neuropsychological, and clinical assessment data were also acquired on an independent, slightly younger unimpaired sample of 14 nondemented people with DS (mean age = 44.63 years, SD = 7.99 years, range = 38-61 years)., Results: Lower functional connectivity between long-range but not short-range DMN regions predicts AD diagnosis and cognitive decline in people with DS. Aβ accumulation in the inferior parietal cortex is associated with lower regional DMN functional connectivity., Conclusion: Reduction of long-range DMN connectivity is a potential biomarker for AD in people with DS that precedes and predicts clinical conversion.
- Published
- 2022
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