Neural network disruptions between default mode network and salience network in mild cognitive impairment with neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Chenxi Pan, Renren Li, Xiao Yuan, Jing Ma, Wei Zhang, Xiaoran Zheng, Zhi-Lan Tu, Ying Su, Zhiyuan Zhai, Fuchun Lin, Yun-Xia Li
International Psychogeriatrics May 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.inpsyc.2025.100092 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 376 |
| Population | Adults with mild cognitive impairment with or without neuropsychiatric symptoms, plus cognitively normal controls |
| Measures | Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | MCI participants with neuropsychiatric symptoms showed altered functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex compared with MCI participants without such symptoms, and this connectivity correlated weakly with total NPI-Q scores (r = 0.244) and with affective and hyperactivity symptoms. The authors propose that default mode and salience network dysfunction may partly contribute to neuropsychiatric symptoms in MCI. |
Abstract
Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are associated with accelerated Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Identifying multimodal brain imaging patterns associated with NPS in MCI may help understand pathophysiology correlates AD.
Methods: This cross-sectional resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study included 376
Participants: 130 MCI with neuropsychiatric symptoms (MCI+NPS), 154 MCI without neuropsychiatric symptoms (MCI-NPS), 92 cognitively normal (CN). NPS were assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q). Functional connectivity between default mode network (DMN) and salience network (SN) was compared among MCI+NPS, MCI-NPS and CN. Then, the morphometric measurements of abnormal node in default mode and salience networks was explored. Furthermore, correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between NPS and functional and structural alterations in DMN and SN in MCI.
Results: In the MCI+NPS group, the most frequently endorsed NPS was anxiety (46.2 %), the less prevalent NPS was euphoria/elation (1.44 %). Compared with the MCI-NPS group, there was abnormal FC between medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (P < 0.05) in the MCI+NPS group, which was significantly associated with total NPI-Q score (r = 0.244, p = 0.000), affective symptoms (r = 0.212, p = 0.000), and hyperactivity symptoms (r = 0.196 p = 0.000). The mPFC area of MCI-NPS group was smaller than that of CN group (p < 0.05), and the area of mPFC was significantly associated with hyperactivity symptoms in MCI group.
Conclusions: Dysfunction of DMN and SN may partly contribute to the NPS in MCI patients, especially affective symptoms and hyperactivity symptoms. Our results complement the evidence linking NPS with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.