Abstract
Background: Whereas the motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been related to deficits in basal ganglia (BG) structures, neural correlates of cognitive changes remain to be fully defined. This study tested the hypothesis that cognitive changes in non-demented PD may be related to cortical gray matter (GM) loss. Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain and comprehensive cognitive function tests were acquired in 40 right-handed, non-demented PD subjects and 40 matched controls. GM changes were assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in FSL. VBM and cognitive results were compared between PD and controls, and correlation analyses were performed between those brain areas and cognitive domains that showed significant group differences. Results: PD patients demonstrated significant GM reduction localized predominantly in frontal and parieto-occipital regions. Patients also showed reduced performance in fine motor speed and set-shifting compared to controls. Fine motor speed and set-shifting were associated with GM volume in the frontal cortex in controls, whereas these domains were associated primarily with occipital GM regions in PD patients. Conclusions: Non-demented PD subjects demonstrate cortical structural changes in frontal and parieto-occipital regions compared to controls. The association between typically recognized "frontal lobe" function and occipital lobe volume suggested a compensatory role of occipital lobe to primary fronto-striatal pathology in PD. Further longitudinal study of these changing structure-function relationships is needed to understand the neural bases of symptom progression in PD.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1088-1093 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Parkinsonism and Related Disorders |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2013 |
Fingerprint
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Neurology
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
}
Early cortical gray matter loss and cognitive correlates in non-demented Parkinson's patients. / Lee, Eun Young; Sen, Suman; Eslinger, Paul; Wagner, Daymond; Shaffer, Michele L.; Kong, Lan; Lewis, Mechelle; Du, Guangwei; Huang, Xuemei.
In: Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, Vol. 19, No. 12, 01.12.2013, p. 1088-1093.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Early cortical gray matter loss and cognitive correlates in non-demented Parkinson's patients
AU - Lee, Eun Young
AU - Sen, Suman
AU - Eslinger, Paul
AU - Wagner, Daymond
AU - Shaffer, Michele L.
AU - Kong, Lan
AU - Lewis, Mechelle
AU - Du, Guangwei
AU - Huang, Xuemei
PY - 2013/12/1
Y1 - 2013/12/1
N2 - Background: Whereas the motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been related to deficits in basal ganglia (BG) structures, neural correlates of cognitive changes remain to be fully defined. This study tested the hypothesis that cognitive changes in non-demented PD may be related to cortical gray matter (GM) loss. Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain and comprehensive cognitive function tests were acquired in 40 right-handed, non-demented PD subjects and 40 matched controls. GM changes were assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in FSL. VBM and cognitive results were compared between PD and controls, and correlation analyses were performed between those brain areas and cognitive domains that showed significant group differences. Results: PD patients demonstrated significant GM reduction localized predominantly in frontal and parieto-occipital regions. Patients also showed reduced performance in fine motor speed and set-shifting compared to controls. Fine motor speed and set-shifting were associated with GM volume in the frontal cortex in controls, whereas these domains were associated primarily with occipital GM regions in PD patients. Conclusions: Non-demented PD subjects demonstrate cortical structural changes in frontal and parieto-occipital regions compared to controls. The association between typically recognized "frontal lobe" function and occipital lobe volume suggested a compensatory role of occipital lobe to primary fronto-striatal pathology in PD. Further longitudinal study of these changing structure-function relationships is needed to understand the neural bases of symptom progression in PD.
AB - Background: Whereas the motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been related to deficits in basal ganglia (BG) structures, neural correlates of cognitive changes remain to be fully defined. This study tested the hypothesis that cognitive changes in non-demented PD may be related to cortical gray matter (GM) loss. Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain and comprehensive cognitive function tests were acquired in 40 right-handed, non-demented PD subjects and 40 matched controls. GM changes were assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in FSL. VBM and cognitive results were compared between PD and controls, and correlation analyses were performed between those brain areas and cognitive domains that showed significant group differences. Results: PD patients demonstrated significant GM reduction localized predominantly in frontal and parieto-occipital regions. Patients also showed reduced performance in fine motor speed and set-shifting compared to controls. Fine motor speed and set-shifting were associated with GM volume in the frontal cortex in controls, whereas these domains were associated primarily with occipital GM regions in PD patients. Conclusions: Non-demented PD subjects demonstrate cortical structural changes in frontal and parieto-occipital regions compared to controls. The association between typically recognized "frontal lobe" function and occipital lobe volume suggested a compensatory role of occipital lobe to primary fronto-striatal pathology in PD. Further longitudinal study of these changing structure-function relationships is needed to understand the neural bases of symptom progression in PD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84889084169&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84889084169&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.07.018
DO - 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.07.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 23932064
AN - SCOPUS:84889084169
VL - 19
SP - 1088
EP - 1093
JO - Parkinsonism and Related Disorders
JF - Parkinsonism and Related Disorders
SN - 1353-8020
IS - 12
ER -