Cognitive Profiles of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Differ in Resting-State Functional Connectivity: An fMRI Study

• DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.682100
• Publication Date: 2021-06-23T07:21:29Z
• Authors: Anna G. M. Temp; Martin Dyrba; Charlotte Büttner; Elisabeth Kasper; Judith Machts; Jörn Kaufmann; Stefan Vielhaber; Stefan Teipel; Johannes Prudlo
• Keywords: cognition; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging; Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; frontotemporal lobar degeneration; cognitive dysfunction; ddc:610; RC321-571; Neuroscience

Half of all amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal spectrum disorder (ALS-FTSD) patients are classified as cognitively impaired, which 10% have frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and an additional 40% suffer from a syndrome not severe enough to be described (cognitively impaired/ALSci). As changes in cerebral function measured by resting-state magnet resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) known ALS, we investigated whether group differences functional connectivity (RSFC) networks could observed between ALS with different cognitive profiles against healthy controls (HC). Furthermore, correlated cognition motor functioning network connectivity. Healthy controls, 69, 97 underwent MRI scanning assessment. The were categorized non-impaired (ALSni; n = 68), impaired (ALSci; 21), ALS-FTD (n 8). Group the default mode (DMN), (MN), ventral attention (VAN) using full-factorial model; correlations global performance, shifting, symptom severity established Pearson's correlation. At liberal alpha level uncorrected p < 0.005 cluster size exceeding 20 voxels, found widespread decreases three when comparing HC. Similar patterns hypoconnectivity bilateral cortices emerged ALSci those impaired. Hyperconnectivity DMN temporal gyrus worse cognition; moreover, hyperconnectivity VAN thalamus, insula, putamen shifting ability. Better-preserved higher MN Only motor-related effects prevailed at more conservative significance FDR 0.001. Resting-state differs is directly associated clinical presentation, specifically function, shifting.