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A Pilot Study on Brain Plasticity of Functional Connectivity Modulated by Cognitive Training in Mild Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Barban et al.pdf (1.04 MB)

A pilot study on brain plasticity of functional connectivity modulated by cognitive training in mild Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment

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posted on 2023-06-21, 06:02 authored by Francesco Barban, Matteo Mancini, Mara Cercignani, Fulvia Adriano, Roberta Perri, Roberta Annicchiarico, Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo, Claudia Ricci, Maria Giovanna Lombardi, Valeria Teodonno, Laura Serra, Giovanni Giulietti, Lucia Fadda, Alessia Federici, Carlo Caltagirone, Marco Bozzali
Alzheimer's disease (AD) alters the functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) but also the topological properties of the functional connectome. Cognitive training (CT) is a tool to slow down AD progression and is likely to impact on functional connectivity. In this pilot study, we aimed at investigating brain functional changes after a period of CT and active control (AC) in a group of 26 subjects with mild AD (mAD), 26 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and a control group of 29 healthy elderly (HE) people. They all underwent a CT and AC in a counterbalanced order following a crossover design. Resting-state functional MRI and neuropsychological testing were acquired before and after each period. We tested post-CT and post-AC changes of cognitive abilities, of the functional connectivity of the DMN, and of topological network properties derived from graph theory and network-based statistics. Only CT produced functional changes, increasing the functional connectivity of the posterior DMN in all three groups. mAD also showed functional changes in the medial temporal lobe and topological changes in the anterior cingulum, whereas aMCI showed more widespread topological changes involving the frontal lobes, the cerebellum and the thalamus. Our results suggest specific functional connectivity changes after CT for aMCI and mAD.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Brain Sciences

ISSN

2076-3425

Publisher

MDPI

Issue

5

Volume

7

Department affiliated with

  • BSMS Neuroscience Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2017-12-20

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2017-12-20

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2017-12-20

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