Relationships between Beta-Amyloid and Functional Connectivity in Different Components of the Default Mode Network in Aging
Elizabeth C. Mormino, Andre Smiljic, Amynta O. Hayenga, Susan Onami, Michael D. Greicius, Gil D. Rabinovici, Mustafa Janabi, Suzanne L. Baker, Irene V. Yen, Cindee Madison, Bruce L. Miller, William J. Jagust
Cerebral Cortex March 7, 2011 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr025 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Elderly normal controls |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Prefrontal cortex Episodic memory Inferior temporal gyrus Middle temporal gyrus Angular gyrus Temporal cortex Hippocampus Amyloid beta Temporal lobe Functional connectivity Cognition Disease Pathology |
| Citations | 349 |
| Key findings | Increasing beta-amyloid deposition in cognitively normal older adults is associated with both decreased functional connectivity in episodic memory-related regions and increased connectivity in prefrontal and temporal cortices. |
Abstract
Although beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition is a characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), this pathology is commonly found in elderly normal controls (NC). The pattern of Aβ deposition as detected with Pittsburgh compound-B positron emission tomography (PIB-PET) imaging shows substantial spatial overlap with the default mode network (DMN), a group of brain regions that typically deactivates during externally driven cognitive tasks. In this study, we show that DMN functional connectivity (FC) during rest is altered with increasing levels of PIB uptake in NC. Specifically, FC decreases were identified in regions implicated in episodic memory (EM) processing (posteromedial cortex, ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and angular gyrus), whereas connectivity increases were detected in dorsal and anterior medial prefrontal and lateral temporal cortices. This pattern of decreases is consistent with previous studies that suggest heightened vulnerability of EM-related brain regions in AD, whereas the observed increases in FC may reflect a compensatory response.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Altered anterior default mode network dynamics in progressive multiple sclerosis medRxiv Preprint Server November 26, 2020
- Amyloid-driven disruption of default mode network connectivity in cognitively healthy individuals Brain Communications 2021
- Sex differences in default mode network connectivity in healthy aging adults
- Age and Sex Moderate the Effects of Sleep Quality on Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Salience and Default Mode Network
Cites 4
- Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Cerebral Cortex April 9, 2008
- Amyloid Plaques Disrupt Resting State Default Mode Network Connectivity in Cognitively Normal Elderly Biological Psychiatry October 15, 2009
- Impairment and compensation coexist in amnestic MCI default mode network Neuroimage December 17, 2009
- Functional connectivity in the resting brain: A network analysis of the default mode hypothesis Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 27, 2002