Scale-Free Functional Brain Networks Exhibit Increased Connectivity, Are More Integrated and Less Segregated in Patients with Parkinson's Disease following Dopaminergic Treatment.

ABSTRACT: Dopaminergic treatment (DT), the standard therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), alters the dynamics of functional brain networks at specific time scales. Here, we explore the scale-free functional connectivity (FC) in the PD population and how it is affected by DT. We analyzed the electroencephalogram of: (i) 15 PD patients during DT (ON) and after DT washout (OFF) and (ii) 16 healthy control individuals (HC). We estimated FC using bivariate focus-based multifractal analysis, which evaluated the long-term memory (H(2)) and multifractal strength (ΔH15) of the connections. Subsequent analysis yielded network metrics (node degree, clustering coefficient and path length) based on FC estimated by H(2) or ΔH15. Cognitive performance was assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and th

SUBMITTER: Stylianou O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10723163 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature