Evaluation of the default mode network using nonnegative matrix factorization in patients with cognitive impairment induced by occupational aluminum exposure.
Feifei Zhang, Bo Liu, Yinbo Shao, Yan Tan, Qiao Niu, Xiaochun Wang, Hui Zhang
Cerebral Cortex August 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad246 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male subjects occupationally exposed to aluminum for more than 10 years |
| Measures | Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), Rey auditory verbal learning test (AVLT) |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Brain Humans Magnetic resonance imaging Cognition Neuropsychological tests Male Cognitive dysfunction Cognitive impairment Nonnegative matrix factorization Occupational aluminum exposure |
| Key findings | Long-term occupational aluminum exposure was associated with poorer cognition, primarily delayed recognition, and higher plasma aluminum was inversely related to MoCA and AVLT scores. Patients with aluminum-induced mild cognitive impairment showed lower default mode network gray matter volume than controls, with positive correlations between DMN volume and both MoCA and AVLT scores. The authors propose reduced DMN gray matter volume as the neural mechanism of aluminum-induced mild cognitive impairment. |
Abstract
Aluminum (Al) is an important environmental pathogenic factor for neurodegenerative diseases, especially mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the gray matter volume of structural covariance network alterations in patients with Al-induced MCI. Male subjects who had been exposed to Al for >10 years were included in the present study. The plasma Al concentration, Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score, and verbal memory assessed by the Rey auditory verbal learning test (AVLT) score were collected from each participant. Nonnegative matrix factorization was used to identify the structural covariance network. The neural structural basis for patients with Al-induced MCI was investigated using correlation analysis and group comparison. Plasma Al concentration was inversely related to MoCA scores, particularly AVLT scores. In patients with Al-induced MCI, the gray matter volume of the default mode network (DMN) was considerably lower than that in controls. Positive correlations were discovered between the DMN and MoCA scores as well as between the DMN and AVLT scores. In sum, long-term occupational Al exposure has a negative impact on cognition, primarily by affecting delayed recognition. The reduced gray matter volume of the DMN may be the neural mechanism of Al-induced MCI.
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 |