Network Architecture Underlying Basal Autonomic Outflow: Evidence from Frontotemporal Dementia

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0347-18.2018
• Publication Date: 2018-09-04T16:49:45Z
• Authors: Virginia E. Sturm; Jesse A. Brown; Alice Y. Hua; Sandy J. Lwi; Juan Zhou; Florian Kurth; Simon B. Eickhoff; Howard J. Rosen; Joel H. Kramer; Bruce L. Miller; Robert W. Levenson; William W. Seeley
• Keywords: Vagal Tone

The salience network is a distributed neural system that maintains homeostasis by regulating autonomic nervous activity and social-emotional function. Here we examined how within-network connectivity relates to individual differences in human (including males females) baseline parasympathetic sympathetic activity. We measured resting physiology 24 healthy controls 23 patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), neurodegenerative disease characterized deficits. Participants also underwent structural task-free fMRI. First, used voxel-based morphometry determine whether atrophy was associated lower respiratory sinus arrhythmia (a measure) skin conductance level bvFTD. Next, functional deficits 21 autonomic-relevant, node-pairs related dysfunction. Lower smaller volume left ventral anterior insula (vAI), weaker between bilateral vAI cingulate cortex (ACC), stronger ACC hypothalamus/amygdala. level, contrast, inferior temporal gyrus, dorsal mid-insula, hypothalamus; right hypothalamus/amygdala; periaqueductal gray. Our results suggest tone depends on the integrity of lateralized hubs (left for hypothalamus/amygdala sympathetic) highly calibrated ipsilateral contralateral connections. In bvFTD, this may underlie disruption. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT regulates Whether patterns activity, however, not well understood. dementia, deficits, probed dysfunction diminished outflow. indicate are product complex, opposing intranetwork nodal interactions depend tuned, (i.e., activity).