Apraxic deficits in Alzheimer’s disease are associated with altered dynamic connectivity in praxis-related networks

IF 4 3区医学 Q2 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Neurobiology of Aging Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-09-18 DOI:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.09.007

Taylan D. Kuzu , Elena Brinkmann , Anna K. Bonkhoff , Veronika Wunderle , Gérard N. Bischof , Kathrin Giehl , Maximilian H.T. Schmieschek , Oezguer A. Onur , Frank Jessen , Gereon R. Fink , Alexander Drzezga , Peter H. Weiss

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Apraxia is a common symptom in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that reduces autonomy and quality of life. However, the neural basis underlying apraxia in AD, for example, reflected by functional connectivity (FC) alterations, remains unexplored. We investigated static and dynamic FC using resting-state functional imaging in 14 patients with biomarker-confirmed AD pathology and 14 matched healthy participants. FC was estimated as average (static) and short-term (dynamic) connectivity strengths between motor- and praxis-related functional networks. Recurring connectivity patterns were clustered into dynamic states to compute temporal connectivity measures. Connectivity measures were used for correlations with apraxic deficits. In AD patients, static connectivity between visual and inferior parietal networks correlated with apraxic imitation (r = 0.762, P_FDR = 0.043) and arm/hand gesture deficits (r = 0.848, P_FDR = 0.020), while dynamic connectivity between these networks correlated with apraxic imitation deficits (r = 0.851, P_FDR = 0.020). Dynamic FC analysis revealed a segregated and integrated state. AD patients spent more time overall (fraction time, P_FDR < 0.001) and remained longer without switching (dwell time, P_FDR = 0.004) in the segregated state. Both fraction (ρ = –0.858, P_FDR = 0.015) and dwell time (ρ = –0.914, P_FDR = 0.003) correlated with apraxic imitation deficits. Connectivity strengths between visual and inferior parietal networks and fraction time in the segregated state predicted apraxic imitation deficits (adjusted R² = 0.782, P < 0.001). We conclude that apraxia in AD patients is associated with altered FC in praxis-related networks, suggesting FC as a potential clinical indicator for predicting motor-cognitive deficits.

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阿尔茨海默病的失用缺陷与实践相关网络的动态连接改变有关。

失用症是阿尔茨海默病（AD）的常见症状，它会降低自主性和生活质量。然而，阿尔茨海默症失用的神经基础，例如，通过功能连接（FC）改变所反映的神经基础，仍未被探索。我们使用静息状态功能成像研究了14名生物标志物证实的AD病理患者和14名匹配的健康参与者的静态和动态FC。FC被估计为运动和实践相关功能网络之间的平均（静态）和短期（动态）连接强度。将重复出现的连接模式聚类为动态状态，以计算时间连接度量。连通性测量用于与失用性缺陷的相关性。在AD患者中，视觉和下顶网络之间的静态连通性与失用模仿（r = 0.762,PFDR = 0.043）和手臂/手势缺陷（r = 0.848,PFDR = 0.020）相关，而这些网络之间的动态连通性与失用模仿缺陷相关（r = 0.851,PFDR = 0.020）。动态FC分析显示了分离和集成状态。AD患者在隔离状态下总体停留时间更长（分数时间，PFDR < 0.001），未切换的停留时间更长（停留时间，PFDR = 0.004）。分数（ρ = -0.858, PFDR = 0.015）和停留时间（ρ = -0.914, PFDR = 0.003）与失用模仿缺陷相关。视觉和下顶叶网络的连接强度与分离状态下的分数时间预测失用模仿缺陷(调整R2 = 0.782， P

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来源期刊

Neurobiology of Aging 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

8.40

自引率

2.40%

发文量

225

审稿时长

67 days

期刊介绍： Neurobiology of Aging publishes the results of studies in behavior, biochemistry, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular biology, morphology, neurology, neuropathology, pharmacology, physiology and protein chemistry in which the primary emphasis involves mechanisms of nervous system changes with age or diseases associated with age. Reviews and primary research articles are included, occasionally accompanied by open peer commentary. Letters to the Editor and brief communications are also acceptable. Brief reports of highly time-sensitive material are usually treated as rapid communications in which case editorial review is completed within six weeks and publication scheduled for the next available issue.